Sword Art Online - A Tale Untold
by ChristmasForJuan
Summary: This story is set in the Alicization Arc and runs parallel to the canon storyline. Kirito and Sinon have both been chosen as testers for the STL, but are thrown into Underworld after a malfunction in the system. In the series of events that follow, the pair will meet familiar faces and explore a darker side of the utopian society they find themselves in. Rated M for lemon.
1. Act 1: Prologue (1)

**Author's Note**

Hey there, this is ChristmasForJuan.

First and foremost, I would like to warn everyone that this story of mine is set just before the Alicization arc, or more precisely, around the time that "Versus" occurs. Because of that it might contain spoilers from the arcs leading up to this point, so as long as you don't mind minor spoilers (they should not be too significant, but just in case), please read the original light novel series prior to reading this fan fiction.

Naturally, any reviews, comments, and suggestions are very welcome, and I will try to respond to those to the best of my ability.

The setting and characters are all borrowed from the series "Sword Art Online" by Reki Kawahara. Needless to say I neither own the setting nor the characters. Thank you Reki Kawahara for inspiring this fan fiction.

* * *

**March 31, 2026**

The pink fragrance of cherry blossoms danced along the fresh spring breeze, fluttering a certain white muffler with exuberant vigor. Resting on the fair neck of a young high-school girl, the muffler offered a pleasant contrast to her piano black school uniform. As Sinon walked towards the school gate she sighed. Normally her Friday afternoons were spend with short trips to the local convenience stores, a light dinner, and a brief visit to either the fantasy world of ALO or the post-apocalyptic wastelands of GGO. However, two days ago she received an e-mail from Kikuoka Seijirou, a civil servant involved in the "Death Gun" incident, who urged her to meet him at one of his favorite cafés.

Yet another sigh escaped Sinon′s soft lips. It was not that she disliked Kikuoka Seijirou. In fact, she was grateful for his involvement in the "Death Gun" incident, but there was something about his demeanor that she simply could not get used to.

"Come to think of it, Kirito was invited too", Sinon pondered out loud, unintentionally showing a smile.

_"I guess if Kirito is coming it wouldn′t be that bad after al-"_, her train of thought was cut short by a memory of the last time Kirito had offered to pick her up from school.

A faint blush adorned her cheeks as she quickened her pace, shuffling one foot before the other quick enough to cross the schoolyard at a brisk pace, but covertly enough as to not draw too much attention. There′s no way. There′s no way that Kirito would be bold enough to do "that" again. But then again, thinking about it, it was all the more likely for him to do "that" again simply because of him being him.

Sinon′s awkward movements came to a halt as she noticed the large group of female students gathered behind the school gates, giggling, whispering, and occasionally pointing at a certain individual leaning against his motorbike. He was dressed in a navy school uniform, almost black, and gazed at the clouds in a dazed manner.

_"He actually parked right in front of the school gate… again"_, Sinon remarked to herself, astonished that she was still surprised by that young man′s unpredictable behavior.

As she briefly scanned her surroundings Sinon noticed that a petite girl, probably the same grade as her, held a soft pink colored letter in both her hands. Coincidentally, the color of that letter was identical to the color of her innocent blush.

_"This is bad…"_, Sinon thought as she hurried towards the navy black figure, trying her best to avoid the curious glances of her fellow classmates.

One would think that they would lose interest after Kirito′s repeated appearances. Sinon took a deep breath to calm her beating chest and raised her right hand as casually as she could, "Yo Kirito. Didn′t I tell you not to park so close to the school gate?"

Kirito snapped out of his daze, shifted his attention to Sinon and replied, "Ah, good afternoon Sinon. But shouldn't it be fine? Its more convenient this way after all."

Sighing at that innocent reply, Sinon could not help but forgive his bold behavior. The sharp glares that pierced her back were a different story however.

"I...in any case, lets get out of here..."

"Yeah, we don′t want to repeat what happened that one time with the disciplinary teacher."

Sinon did not reply and simply grabbed the light green spare helmet that hung on the bike′s left handle, fitting it on her head. That experience was traumatic. Especially since she had to explain her relationship with the attractive young man who would occasionally wait in from the school gates to the teachers, and eventually half of the student body. That alone had caused quite the commotion. Sinon shuddered at the thought of going through that again.

Guessing her thoughts, Kirito gave her a knowing grin and reached his arm over to hook her helmet up. Truth be told, Sinon had already learned how to hook the helmet up herself, but for some reason she kept that hidden from Kirito and continued to allow him to do it for. Despite how embarrassing it was to be seen when he did so, she continued to indulge in her guilty pleasure.

As both of them mounted the bike together Sinon reached for Kirito′s body, wrapping her arms around his lean frame and pressing her body against his. The few times he fetched her from school, despite her complaints, were the few times in which she could experience the same warmth she had felt back in that cave during the 3rd Battle of Bullets. It felt like it had only been yesterday since her body was enveloped by this intoxicating feeling of comfort. His clear scent, his body′s steady movement due to his rhythmical breath, and his excited heartbeat that gave away his embarrassment, were all absorbed by Sinon′s consciousness.

_"Just for now. If it is just when I am on this motorcycle ... it's ok..."_, Sinon inaudibly mumbled, dreading the moment they would arrive at the cafe.

* * *

"I...I will have the rare cheesecake with cranberry sauce together with an earl gray..."

"I want a baked apple pudding and a mont blanc. Oh, and I′ll have an espresso as well."

As they both concluded their orders, Sinon faced the man sitting in front of her. Wearing a casual suit and emitting a mysterious aura masked by a friendly smile, Kikuoka took out a tablet PC from his office bag before tapping the screen with his fingers. Even though she got relatively used to him, Sinon didn't think that she could ever fully get accustomed to his presence.

"Well then, now that we have finished ordering I would like to discuss the matters at hand. Simply put, I want to offer a part-time job to the both of you", Kikuoka explained with his ever present smile.

"Since this offer came directly form Kikuoka-san, the authorities behind this part-time job must be either shady or dangerous I'm guessing", Kirito remarked with an irked expression. However, it was plainly obvious that Kirito was interested in what he had to say despite his negative attitude. The same could be said for Sinon as well.

"Hahaha, nothing of that sort Kirito-kun, you must be misunderstanding", the innocent civil worker reasoned as he corrected his relaxed posture and adjusted his glasses. The contrast in aura was striking, causing the pair to tense up.

"The organization behind this offer is called RATH, and their current aim is to develop the next generation of FullDive equipment. Due to security reasons and regulations I cannot reveal too many details in a place like this, but there is an extremely large budget involved in this project. Knowing you, Kirito-kun, I reasoned that you would be interested. Fortunately, they have a need for experienced testers and veteran VRMMORPG players. I personally recommended Kirito-kun as a former beta tester and survivor of the SAO incident. As a second tester, I recommended Asada-san as a veteran GGO player and co-winner of the 3rd Battle of Bullets. Additionally, after I heard about your contribution to the recovery of the Holy Sword Excalibur I reasoned that you two were perfect for the job. But first, let us talk about the benefits. You will receive an hourly wage of..."

Not having eaten lunch due to a counseling meeting at school, Sinon's attention trailed off at some point during the explanation. Rather than on Kikuoka, her gaze was instead set on Kirito′s untouched mont blanc. Before she knew it her salivary glands cried in protest, and much to Sinon′s embarrassment, her stomach replied with a cry of its own.

Sure enough Kirito shifted his attention to the girl on his right, cheeks reddened and shoulders tensed to make herself as small a target as possible.

Amused by her adorable behavior, Kirito delicately pushed her targeted object into the radius of her attack range. The reaction was immediate. The sniper equipped herself with the one-handed equipment "fork", and mercilessly reduced her target to 70% of its former size. Sinon′s happiness parameter increased exponentially as she devoured her prey. However, the assault was not over yet. She swiftly reached towards Kirito′s espresso and savored it′s contents. The symphony of flavor that spread throughout her mouth as a result of following the exquisite taste of the mont blanc, with the rich flavor of the espresso, a contrast of excellence that momentarily overwhelmed her senses.

As she opened her eyes she was greeted by Kirito′s sad expression.

"I didn′t say anything about the espresso…"

"Quit whining. Here, you can have a piece of mine."

With her own fork Sinon offered a piece of her cheesecake to the offended party, carefully placing her left hand below and shifting her body closer the Kirito to make the offer easier on him.

Her provocative response caught Kirito off guard, whose plan to tease Sinon backfired on him instead. He simply stared into her obsidian eyes, dumbfounded.

"H...Hurry up. This is getting embarrassing...", Sinon whispered as she became aware of other customers' curious glances.

"Got it..."

Kirito leaned forward and accepted the cheesecake. Much like his baked apple pudding, it was utterly delicious. The flavor was perfectly balanced and the smooth texture was a product of the chef′s countless years of experience, but there was something else. A taste much sweeter than that of the cranberry sauce that accompanied the cheesecake. A faint taste of cherry…

"I am sorry to interrupt you lovebirds, but wouldn't Asuna-san get jealous if she saw you like that?", Kikuoka interrupted while clearing his throat.

The pair was pulled back to reality after being reminded of the devilish presence at the opposite side of the table.

Kirito was the first to get flustered as he exclaimed, "Of course its not like that! Don′t imagine weird things Kikuoka-san."

As Kikuoka and Kirito engaged in a comedic argument, Sinon quietly lowered her head.

_"That′s right. Me and Kirito aren′t… like that. He already has Asuna. They've been together for more than 2 years know. I already know. I knew from the moment he introduced me to her. She is beautiful, kind, and smart, and he seems to truly love her. I know that, but still I-"_

Sinon′s train of thought was interrupted by yet another of the civil servant's devilish remarks, "Hahaha, of course I could never imagine a perfect couple like you and Asuna-san to break up. But still..."

He paused for a moment as he knowingly regarded Sinon from the other side of his spectacles.

"It is quite a shame, Kirito-kun."

"Eh?!"

"Wha-?!"

Earning his share of amusement for the day, Kikuoka seemed satisfied as he wrapped up, "Hahaha, just kidding. In any case I will have to be on my way now. I will send you the details by e-mail later this evening. Whether or not you want to accept it is up to you, but be sure to tell me before the beginning of next week either way. I look forward to working with you again. Kirito-kun, Asada-san."

He nodded at the pair as he stood up and left the cafe.

"Really, sometimes I just don′t understand what this guy is thinking. He really went too far this time", Kirito complained with crossed arms.

"I just can't seem to get used to him either…", Sinon replied with a smiling facade.

By the time they left, the sky had already been dyed in a deep red. Kirito dropped her off at her apartment by bike and Sinon waved him goodbye after exchanging goodbyes. Absentmindedly chasing the disappearing figure of the man she had come to love, Sinon leaned against the railing as she chased away her wishful dreams.

_"Yes ... this is the way it is supposed to be."_

**April 11, 2026**

"... and that is why the fluctlights produce an ultra-high quality environment once you dive. While it may seem identical to the real world, remember that it is just a re-creation of the information stored in your fluctlights. Additionally, in order to prevent any discomfort during the dive, the system will automatically create a self-image of yourself in which you feel the most comfortable. Any questions?", the scientist asked as he explained the basics of the STL machine, the name of the oversized cubicle that Kirito and Sinon were currently connected to.

The duo shook their heads in a synchronized manner.

The scientist nodded and signaled to the other researchers that the dive would commence shortly. Immediately after, Sinon felt a floating sensation and was seemingly lifted into another world.

_"Fast!"_

The single word that flashed through her mind perfectly described the sensation that she experienced with her five senses. Normally, when fulldiving with her AmuSphere, it would take several minutes to connect her senses one by one before the fulldive was finally complete. However, the amount of time it took for Sinon to become aware of all her five senses in the virtual world created by the STL was at most 3 seconds.

_"So this is the difference in processing speed between the AmuSphere and this next gen FullDive equipment…"_, Sinon pondered while shifting her focus to her surroundings.

She stood in an empty space the size of a narrow room, and noticed Kirito not too far from her position, clothed in an unfamiliar black surcoat as he observed his immediate environment much like herself.

_"Judging from what they said, that must be Kirito′s self image. Then what is mine?"_, Sinon wondered as she lowered her gaze and glanced at her body.

_"This is-"_

Sinon was abruptly interrupted by the piercing sound of a million shattering glasses and blown away by a force equal to a direct impact of her beloved PGM Hecate II. The space that harbored her and Kirito just moments ago mercilessly crumbled into nothingness at frightening speed while the virtual dimension shook with tremors equal to that of a small sized earthquake. In a desperate attempt to regain her balance, Sinon spread her legs and lowered her center of gravity, though even that was futile. The ground underneath her feet disappeared and she was immediately pulled into the darkness by the heavy weight strapped to her back.

"KIRITO!", Sinon screamed at the black swordsman as he fell headfirst into nothingness just a few meters to her right.

"SINON, GRAB MY HAND!", he shouted as loud as he could.

He stretched out his hand to the outmost of his ability, Sinon mimicking his effort, but the intensity of a final tremor blasted Sinon and Kirito apart. The dimension started to distort and Sinon′s consciousness faded into black.

"SINOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo...", Kirito roared once again, but his loud cry eventually drifted into the same darkness.

His plea remained unanswered.

* * *

**Author's Note**

Well then, that is the first chapter.

I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Also, I must apologize for the slow start, but every story needs an introduction I guess?

The next chapter will include a pretty ok combat scene, so please bear with me for a while if you're unsure about where this story is going to go. Not that I can stop you guys from leaving or anything. If only…


	2. Act 1: Prologue (2)

**Author's Note**

Hello there, this is ChristmasForJuan.

I just want to give you guys a quick heads up since I will be using a little bit of mild gore in this chapter. This means that everyone who is weak to this type of content, please be very careful as you go ahead and continue this story, seeing as this definitely won't be the last time this type of thing will happen.

* * *

**April 11, 2026**

"What just-"

"…malfunctions have occurred during the…"

"…the Quantum Operation Circuit shows an exceptionally high processing rate, despite that fact that…"

"Quickly! Analyze the conditions of the subjects!"

"…rate of acceleration rapidly increased!"

"…would need at least one hour to…"

Higa Takeru, who had just been called to the scene, observed the mindless chaos from a elevated platform. White lab coats danced across the floor and hard soles hurried around the room like a startled flock of sheep. Higa himself, who was responsible for the production of the STL, could have never predicted this outcome. No, that was wrong. It would be different if the problem were a reasonable issue that could be identified by rational means, but now… The problem at hand was neither rational nor reasonable. In fact, none of the many distinguished scientists in this room were able to form as much as a hypothesis, an idea, or even a guess as to why the STL reacted as it did. The Quantum Operation Circuit operated perfectly until something seemingly … interacted with it. The very thought was haunting. At this point in time, the only Quantum Operation Circuit of this level existed in this very room, yet the data displayed on the dozens of monitor screens screamed otherwise.

"It couldn't be…", Higa contemplated in disbelief.

A rare expression overtook his face as his eyes widened and his mouth went dry. The world around him slowly lost all color and sound with nothing but his own thoughts echoing in the constructed silence.

_"If I am right, then what is interfering with the Quantum Operation Circuit is nothing other than… No… It couldn't be… In that case, that would mean that right now, at this very moment, we are connected to-"_

"Takeru-san!"

Higa was forced back into reality, as a young scientist ran towards him carrying a messy notepad.

"Takeru-san, the analysis on the subjects′ condition just finished. While they are not in critical condition, their fluctlights are now directly connected to the STL. This means that a forceful ejection could potentially harm their neural activity, no, their very soul themselves. But…"

"What is it?"

"… before we were aware of this fact, we attempted to forcefully eject one of the subjects before the rate of acceleration could increase even further… but … while the subject did not receive major damage, we observed damage to the subject′s long-term memory. Upon further investigation it was apparent that his long-term memory was only slightly affected, but we are unable to reverse this problem as of now."

"Who was the subject?"

"Subject #1…"

The young scientist hesitated for a second, as he stared Higa straight into the eye and proclaimed in a serious tone.

"Kirigaya Kazuto"

* * *

**3rd Month of the Human World Calendar, 379**

The sunlight was unusually bright.

As Kirito′s consciousness sluggishly woke from it′s sleep, the warmth of the blinding sunlight was the first thing it registered. One by one his other senses became aware of his surroundings as well. The ticklish feeling of grass brushing against his right cheek. The sweet scent of nearby flowers filling his lungs. The taste of fresh air resting on his tongue. The continuous chirping of flocking birds reaching his mind, and finally, as Kirito pushed his tired eyelids open, the brilliant rays of sunlight.

_"Where…"_, Kirito whispered as he turned his head to the left in a lethargic manner.

_"A forest clearing?"_

Bewildered be the strange environment that was laid out in front of him, Kirito dispelled the appealing notion of continuing his nap and tried to raise his body into a sitting position. However, something prevented him from doing so, or rather, an unfamiliar weight seemed to pulled him towards the ground. No. If anything, then those weights at his back should be best described as … nostalgic?

"No way?!", Kirito exclaimed as he nervously jumped to his feet.

Confirming the state of his body, he could see a black surcoat partially covering his black leather pants and simple cloth shirt. Adding to that, the nostalgic weight on his back still did not vanish. In fact, it seemed as if the two entities on his back were crying out for him, screaming for him to wield them as he once did.

Kirito hesitated for a tenth of a second before his gloved hands reached towards his back to be greeted by the sturdy handles of his beloved swords.

Kirito′s hesitation was blown away in an instant. The cold leather of the swords seeped from his steady grip through his arms, and from there filled every inch of his body. This coldness was in no way uncomfortable. It was as if Kirito had reunited with a long lost companion, as if one long lost part of him had finally rejoined the entity that was called Kirito. The Black Swordsman exerted force into his grip as he fluidly pulled the two blades out of their sheaths, letting them sing their harsh cry as he ripped them through the air.

A white-black radiance illuminated the clearing. As if engaged in a playful debate, "Black Repulser" allowed the sunlight to dance around it′s razor sharp edges, reflecting it into all directions, while "Elucidator" greedily drunk all light that dared approach it. It felt as if, along with Kirito, the swords themselves awoke from a deep slumber, and were now shivering in reinvigorated excitement.

Kirito could not believe it. The swords he believed to have left behind in that floating castle so long ago had returned to his own hands. But that was impossible. After all, they were only virtual pieces of data. How could they be replicated this accurately in the real world?

_"No, this isn't the real world…"_, Kirito recalled as he desperately tried to recollect his memories.

"I am… my name is Kirigaya Kazuto. I am seventeen years old and live in Kawagoe, Saitama prefecture with my mother and little sister … no, my cousin. I am single and … I don't have a … "

Kirito trailed off, his heart suddenly aware of a gaping void. It was as if an essential part of him was missing, something way more important than something as trivial as his swords. Something he forgot. Something he ought to remember.

Ridding himself of the headache, Kirito chose to ignore his discomfort for now.

_"That′s right. The scientists said that my virtual appearance would be modeled after my self image. But is this really the virtual world? The graphics are too realistic. Plus, how is the machine able to read my memories and create an appropriate self image in the first place?"_, Kirito couldn't help but be confused by the newfound world he had found himself in.

_"Wait… Did they not explain why? Those… what did they call them again… fluctlights? Is their research on the human soul really advanced enough to generate this level of accuracy?"_

Kirito let his thoughts wonder for several minutes, until his attention was ultimately pulled back to his swords.

_"If it was possible to recreate 'Dark Repulser' and 'Elucidator', then is it possible to recreate 'those' as well?"_

Without waiting for an answer, Kirito widened his stance and let 'Elucidator' rest on his right shoulder. The sword was instantly colored in a raging light blue flame before dashing forward at impossibly fast speeds. As the blade came to a stop just ten centimeters before hitting the ground, a light blue trajectory was momentarily traced in midair at a 45° angle before it was blown away alongside a violent gust of wind that shook the trees on the opposite side of the forest clearing.

"Single-hit, one-handed sword skill 'Vertical'. It seems that even 'Sword Skills' are replicated in this world…", Kirito exclaimed in surprise while sheathing both of his swords on his back.

Though we would have liked nothing more than to find out more about this world, there were more urgent matters at hand.

The last thing he could remember before arriving in this world was the virtual environment breaking down during the test dive, separating him from Sinon. Kirito could clearly remember the panicked state she was in as he reached out for her.

He cared for her. A lot. To him she was… just what exactly was she to him?

A drilling pain bore into his head once again, forcing Kirito to his knees as he tried to stifle the pain by crushing his skull between his hands.

"I am… she is… to me? I don't have a… A… Asu-ahhhh!"

The pain doubled as Kirito's brain felt as if it split in half. Why did this pain resurface each time he tried to recall his past? What fragment was so important to him to cause such disorienting agony?

Suddenly, the blurred outline of a person flashed across his mind. The pain melted away and was replaced by a comforting warmth. The girl had a delicate figure, wearing a familiar black school uniform adorned by a white muffler. Framing her bespectacled eyes were strands of black hair tied together by small ivory ribbons.

_"… __Asada?"_

Whatever the reason, it seemed that pursuing his past seemed to serve little purpose at this point. Although the thought of Sinon did little to bridge the void he felt in his chest, he couldn't help but note his elevated heartbeat, the sense of serenity, the longing.

Kirito stood up. There was no doubt about it feelings, not like there ever had been. For that reason he couldn't waste any more time in this forest clearing. He had to find her. There was no way he would leave this world without her, nor would he allow himself to leave her alone in this unfamiliar world any longer. He had to find her, and he had to do so now.

At that moment the sound of rustling leaves and footsteps filled the clearing.

"Damn it!"

Kirito had been too focused on his thoughts, so much so that he failed to notice the noise that was clearly audible now, or more importantly, the seething bloodlust seeping out from underneath the trees' shadows.

Kirito deftly retreated back to the center of the clearing, lowered his center of gravity, and grasped the leather handle of Elucidator. He remained in that position until his assailants finally decided to step out of their shaded cover and reveal themselves… though the revelation was wholly unexpected.

The creatures that proudly swaggered into the light of the clearing were goblins. Obviously, Kirito was almost too familiar with their kind. Normally they were weak, low-leveled monsters commonly found in the starting areas of common RPGs and possessed only the most basic of AI, though what astounded Kirito was less the fact that they existed and more the manner in which they existed. Kirito's sense of wonderment was already numbed after the return of his beloved twin swords, so the subsequent appearance of monster-class entities was easily accepted. The thing that disturbed Kirito the most however was the goblin′s demeanor, the way they carried themselves, the manner in which they talked, but above all, their eyes. Fierce eyes. Hungry eyes. Eyes that looked down on him, eyes that challenged him. Eyes… that were full of life.

_"__Is that even possible?"_, Kirito challenged an incredulous thought.

_"__But how? For them to be alive, or mimic life at the very least… Do they have a soul? Fluctlights of their own?!"_

Kirito′s suspicions only deepened when the ugliest of nigh forty goblins raised his voice to address his peers.

"Kekeke, would you look at that. A starved little Ium brat with two sticks strapped to his back. Maybe he thinks himself a hero?"

Sure enough his jape elicited a roaring wave of grunts and laughs.

_"__Is this an event? His behavior is too natural to be scripted, let alone the reaction of others… Everything form the tone in their voice to the way they walk is way too advanced! It's too original, too improvised and human. They're not AI, they're.. alive. Is this the true extent of the STL!?"_

Kirito didn't want to follow the breadcrumbs of evidence to Pandora's Box. If the analysis of the human soul had already progressed to this level, if individuality could be mass produced like spare parts, then what was it that held humanity back from playing God?

"He's young and starved, but his equipment looks pretty good. He probably stole it from some knight or lordling. We might get a high price for that coat of his."

"Ium boys don't fetch a high price these days, too many mouths to feed. Well, good for us. I was just getting hungry!"

Letting their contempt pass through him unfazed, Kirito took another look around the area. He was alone, surrounded by an enemy force numbering close to forty lightly armored goblins, and poorly equipped at that. Their leather straps showed signs of stitching, a number of them were barefooted, and the swords that peeked out from underneath the flaking sheaths showed signs of rust and decay. However, they were no AI, they were alive. They could think and learn. Treating them with a PvE mindset, despite it being his natural instinct, would only lead to sure death. Sure, he was able to tangle with a number of novices in the training field, but even Kirito doubted he could escape from this situation unscathed. His eyes reflexively darted to the upper left corner of his vision. As expected, neither status, HP, nor any other HUD elements were to be found.

Kirito solidified his stance and unsheathed both his swords, drawing out the motion to allow the goblin chatter to die down. He wasn't willing to find out what would happen if his life were to drop to zero in this world, nor was he keen on affirming the existence of a pain modifier, though Kirito could already guess the answer to the latter.

The goblins took note of the boy's defiance and flashed their weapons in return.

"Seems like he wants to play hero to the end. Go get him!"

At the goblin′s command everyone charged in at once, not giving Kirito the benefit of the doubt despite their previous mockery. However, Kirito did not panic. He pushed away his previous worry and sharpened his senses. His perception of time accelerated as his consciousness stepped into a higher gear.

That's right. With these two swords in his hands he had nothing to fear.

Kirito oriented his right sword parallel to his right leg and silently watched a pale blue flame lick Elucidator's sheen. Once the glow extended to the sword's tip, Kirito suddenly shot forward and closed the distance of ten meters between him and the closest goblin almost instantly.

This was the work of the one-handed charge type skill "Rage Spike".

Stunned by the sudden acceleration of the young boy, the goblin came to a grinding halt and raised his gloved left arm over his face. It was too late. Elucidator jerked up at unreasonable speeds and cleanly severed the goblin's hand with little to no resistance, exposing Kirito to the view of severed tendons and muscles, split blood vessels that had forgotten to bleed, and two sturdy bones as white and smooth as marble. Only a second later did the goblin's hot blood gush out of his lifeless stump and twitching arm.

His face contorted in unimaginable agony, validating Kirito's earlier suspicions. There was no pain limiter in this world.

Light-footedly tapping off the ground, Kirito used the momentum of his undercut to to spin himself almost 180°, putting his foe behind him and finishing him off by burying the glittering length of Dark Repulser deep in his unprotected abdomen after guiding it through the motion of his spin.

Kirito raised Elucidator overhead to block the incoming attacks of two goblins that had planned to jump his back while he tangled with their comrade and stopped them dead in their tracks. The Demonic Sword in his right didn't budge the slightest as it absorbed the frontal assaults of the two militants.

Speed, both cognitive and physical, agility and skill; Kirito was far superior to his opponents in all of those. He had already rid them of an ally in four second flat and seemed unperturbed as he towered over the continued assault of his peers. The swords in his hands…

"How is this possible?! What the hell are those swords made off!? How can you even wield them like that Ium brat?!", one of the two goblins spat in disbelief.

Kirito didn't bother to answer them. Instead he repelled their swords with a precise flick of his wrist to expose the cheap leather hide armoring their chests. Pulling Dark Repulser out of the wet abdomen of the fallen goblin, Kirito rested it by his left for an instant to wake a soft blue glow from within the crystal blade, and allowed for the one-hit, one-handed sword skill "Horizontal" to gouge out the two goblin's intestines before they lifelessly collapsed backwards on the ground.

_"__Not enough…"_

A sickeningly sweet shiver ran from his swords all the way through his itching spine, urging him on. Urging him to continue. Kirito didn't know where this sudden craze had come from. Did he try to distract himself from the void clawing at his heart? Did his instincts as a gamer command him to clear this "level"? Perhaps he simply wished to rid himself of the frustrating confusion of his unexplained abduction to this unfamiliar world. Regardless, these goblins were clearly after his life… so why shouldn't the opposite hold true as well?

As his jet black sword was covered in a blue-green glow Kirito charged straight into his enemy's ranks, unconcerned about he rivulets of blood that traced his advance. Soon it was no longer possible to differentiate the beast from it's prey.

_"…__there's too many of them. If I just happened to encounter a force of this size moments after waking up, then it's likely that there are more of them in the woods. If I don't finish this soon… Sinon. She couldn't be too far, and if so, she might have made contact with them already!"_, Kirito grimly speculated as he rolled out of the trajectory of swords and knives, one of which grazed the length of Dark Repulser's sheath on his back.

Landing directly in front of a goblin's feet, Kirito sidestepped the second his feet touched the ground to give the rusted sword only a dancing leaf to slice through, before curling his body and placing his crystal blade next to his right waist. 2-hit, one-handed sword skill "Snake Bite" activated at zero distance and lashed out at it's target's neck, burying it's fangs so deep into soft flesh that there was none left to support the head.

Deftly rotating his body by sliding his right leg around his left in a pivotal motion, Kirito managed to avoid two other whistling sword strikes. His right sword, positioned at his waist, burst into a crimson flame as it parried a third strike with a horizontal slash to the left. The three goblins now seemed perfectly aligned next to each, and each was left utterly defenseless as Kirito's sword skill continued it's advance. The crimson colored sword jumped upwards by 45° to the right and cut deep into the left goblin′s torso. The goblin in the middle received the slash with his right arm and head, losing both and more the process. The goblin on the right followed the blade with a terrified shiver as it came to a halt just above his head, giving off a final spark, and halving him perfectly in two like a medieval guillotine.

Warned by the sloppy splash of wet grass behind him, Kirito instinctively ducked underneath a horizontal slash from behind by dropping to his knees and thrusting Dark Repulser diagonally into the earth to block another sword dropping in from above. The smooth crystal surface guided the rusted blade harmlessly towards the ground, granting Kirito the opportunity to kick himself off of the unsuccessful assailant and jump to an unoccupied plot of grass. Waiting for his foes to rush in and take him unawares, Kirito pulled out the radiantly sky blue sword from behind his back to blast them with "Horizontal Square".

However, just as the final hit of his skill shattered one goblin's kneecap, three throwing knives suddenly whistled past his ear, armpit, and thigh from nowhere.

_"__Did they learn!?"_, Kirito cursed as he darted to the left with all his strength to dodge a delayed throw at his torso, this one more accurate than the last three.

However, no sooner had he done so than a goblin awaited him at his predicated path and greeted him with his steel before Kirito had the chance to secure his footing. With his balance off and his footing made treacherous by the blood soaked puddles, Kirito could only knock the sword away from his head without preventing it from biting into his collarbone and splitting his skin all the way down to his waist. In response, Kirito shattered the goblin's temple against Elucidator's hand guard before dropping to the ground himself.

The pain was nigh blinding as it seared through his nervous system, forcing Kirito to forfeit a few following seconds of precious time for the sake of taking a desperate breath.

_"__Hehe… how cruel of you Higa-san. This level of pain should be illegal"_, Kirito joked through the pain as the tried to ignore the paralyzing agony; despite the wound only cutting half a centimeter under his skin, it felt as if a hundred swords were deeply lodged into his chest

_"It seems that they were able to adapt and learn faster than I expected. That last move was definitely intentional, they were herding me like a sheep. If I don't break through their formation soon it's only going to be matter of time before they do something like this again. I need to blast through a single point with brute force and make my escape. I need to use 'that'."_

Kirito forced his erratic breathing into some sort of rhythm, doing his best to ignore the pulsating cut. He could not risk fighting these goblins any longer. While they were surprisingly weak when challenged individually, their fighting potential as a whole was not to be underestimated. They had proven their ability to adapt and respond to outward stimuli, much like any other human force could.

A cold shiver extended throughout Kirito's body.

_"This feels just like fighting 'Laughing Coffin'…"_

Kirito shook his head to dispel any unnecessary thoughts. The next wave of goblins was already heading towards him.

Kirito stood still, motionless, waiting for his prey to enter his reach. A group of five goblins formed a first line of offense while a force twice the size shadowed them from behind. Kirito had mistakenly underestimated these simple creatures, but no longer. He had to go all out.

Kirito activated "The Eclipse".

Both of his swords flickered, as if ignited by a pure, colorless blaze, and ripped through two goblins at neck breaking speed, carving through the mass of bodies without as much as a warning…

…or at least that was what should have happened.  
Instead, the dual blades in Kirito′s hands merely flickered once, like a dying ember on a stormy night, and extinguished.

Kirito's mind lagged behind his shock out of pure disbelief. He had timed "The Eclipse" to perfectly collide with the wall of swords about to crash into him, which instead left him all but naked to the shredding mass of steel and rust.

"Shit!"

Kirito hurriedly tried to pull up both his swords to cover his body, ignoring the numbing pain that seeped from his chest. His movements were clumsy. While he was was swept off his feet by the first line of offense, those behind them jumped out from their shadows and let loose spikes and throwing knifes to find their way into Kirito's flesh.

He had no way of dodging. While he shuffled underneath the bodies of the savagely hacking goblins in front of him, a single knife, around twenty centimeters in length, lodged itself so deep into Kirito's left upper arm that it's moist tip extended out on the other end. The pain was beyond words. Howling in agony, Kirito's defense crumbled and allowed for another sword to slip past and saw a piece of flesh out of his left lower arm

On the verge of losing his consciousness, Kirito dropped to his knees while crying curses and tears, his previous composure seemed almost like a fantasy at this point. His left hand had no energy left to hold on to "Dark Repulser" and dropped it into a rippling pool of soaked black fabric and gushing blood.

"Kekeke, take a look at our kid hero. He had a few tricks up his sleeve, I give him that, but in the end he is just another pathetic Ium brat."

Kirito only faintly perceived the mockery. He was too focused on chasing away the blindingly hot pain. Or was it cold? He couldn't tell the difference.

_"__I'm done for. My arm is as good as gone and there are too many for me to finish in my current state… If I fight I'll die… If I run I'll die. I'll die either way."_

Gritting his teeth, Kirito hardened his grip on "Elucidator".

_"__If fighting makes no difference then I'll at least tak-"_

A bony knee buried itself in his face before Kirito could even start to raise his sword.

"Kekeke, don′t even try to fight back at this point brat. Playtime is over, and you pissed off the lot of us pretty badly. Just sit there and die like trash!", the goblin spat in his wounds as he lifted his sword.

Despite all, Kirito somehow found it in him to laugh at himself.

_"Hehe… So is this it? I guess this is karma for treating them the way I did, huh?"_

Kirito raised his blood smeared face to stare back at his executioner with the humored smile of a dying man. Looking at them again, Kirito had to admit that they truly were hideous creatures, but still, they beat him. They beat the haughty human who thought himself above them. Discrimination and prejudice aside, it was wrong for him to to be so quick to judge. These weren't AI. Even though Kirito already made that conjecture before, only know did he understand the implications of it. These creatures… these beings were alive, had always been, and had as much a claim to life as he did. Despite that he slaughtered them for sport. While he might have been "defending" himself, there was no hiding the emotions he felt while ripping through them. There was no fear in him then, only adrenaline and excitement. He had killed them… he had killed…

Kirito forgot his pain for once and met the goblin's gaze without flinching.

He saw. The goblin recognized what Kirito tried to convey with his glance, a act so painfully human, and for once he smiled. His smile wasn't one of mercy, nor was it one of contempt.

_"__Sorry Sinon. It seems I met a worthy foe."_

The blade swung down with practiced ease. Kirito closed his eyes.

_"__Sinon… I should have said goodbye…"_

The rusted blade bit into flesh as it cracked through skull and bone. A deep, wet echo lingered in the silence of the aftermath as the blade finally jerked into a sudden halt.

Kirito did not feel any pain. Everything simply drowned in silence as the world stood still.

* * *

**Author's Note**

There we go.

As some of you might have noticed, I took the liberty of deciding on the lighting effect of "The Eclipse" since the sword skill was only mentioned twice in the whole series, once in the first novel and another time by the end of the fourth. Additionally, it's first mention provided close to no description regarding it's appearance at all.

Because of that I mostly referred to the fourth novel in which Kirito mimics the sword skill without system assist to take care of the numerous tree guardians blocking his way. His swords were said to have traced a snow-white circle, so I simply went along with that and just made the lighting effect white as well. I'm aware that the more likely explanation for this is that Kirito was simply surrounded by the white end flames of the guardians, or maybe his swords just happened to reflect their white armor, but I thought that the snow-white color was strangely fitting for the "The Eclipse" as the ultimate and incorruptible sword skill.

Oh well, that's I have to say. See ya.


	3. Act 1: Prologue (3)

**3rd Month of the Human World Calendar, 379**

The swaying of the grass, the pleasant melody sung by the nearby birds, the occasional breeze that carried the chill of a nearby river, even the dancing shadows of lush leaves basking in the sun's light came to a standstill for a single moment.

Complete and utter silence spread throughout the small forest clearing.

In that infinite silence a single sound echoed.

The sound of a skull being split by a rusted blade.

_"Sinon… I should have said goodbye…"_

A final thought lingered in the consciousness of a boy kneeling on grassy ground.

His senses were numbed so he could only perceive darkness and silence. The only sounds that filled this emptiness were the echoes of his looping thought and the wet sound of a cracking skull.

Surprisingly, Kirito did not feel any pain. While a blow from this distance was sure to grant him a quick and painless death, he had expected to feel something at least. Could it be that his shock deprived him of that as well?

Then...

_"I must already be dead"_, Kirito deduced.

_"Then is this it? The life after death?"_

He smiled at his cruel thought. A great number of beliefs and religions had sought to predict the phenomena that Kirito was currently subjected to; the life after death. Most religions believed the life after death to be celebrated, filled with happiness and joy. Some believed in rebirth, while others were certain about the existence of a realm which accepted all souls equally, disregarding their achievements and deeds from when they were still alive.

However, Kirito couldn't make out any such things. He was surrounded by a soundless void that stretched far and wide, awaiting the next step.

In spite of that nothing happened.

It took him a few moments to realize that his eyes were shut tightly. Having said that, he could also feel the sticky fabric on his skin, the pressing weight of his surcoat on his shoulders, the formidable weight of hard leather in his right hand.

But why? The sound of shattered bone resounded clearly in his mind, that couldn't have been a figment of his imagination. Seeking answers, Kirito hesitantly opened his eyes and looked up.

"Wha-?!", Kirito's words stumbled in his throat.

He had expected to see a towering mass of steel to jut out of his vision, embedded in his forehead like a bony tree, but instead he saw black and red.

His executor presided over him as he had before, only this time his sword arm was missing, reduced to less than a fourth of it's former length. The skin was torn and cracked all the way to his shoulder, details obscured by the thick dark blood surfacing from beneath his murky green skin. A jagged mess of bone extended not far out of the stump, little pieces of seared meat dangling on whatever remained of his arm.

At this point Kirito noticed a low thump to his right. Turning his head, he was greeted by yet another sight.

The rusted blade, which should have by all means been buried in his head, had cleanly split the skull of a goblin standing farther to his right, a goblin whose collapsing body was responsible for the earlier thud. A torn hand still horridly hung onto the blade in a distasteful twist of chance.

_"...how did..?"_

As if to shed light on the chaotic turn of events, a deafening explosion ruptured through the space to his left. He faintly registered a blurred line in his peripheral vision before the projectile collided with the goblin in front of him. With no resistance whatsoever, the bullet forced it's way through his head and crashed into the ground several meters further away, creating a small crater upon impact as it clouded the air with dust.

Finally Kirito put the pieces together.

Before the sword could reach Kirito's head, somebody had shot off the goblin's arm with pinpoint accuracy, blasting it away with sheer force and coincidentally hitting one of it's allies.

_"'Somebody', eh?"_

Kirito secured his grip on Elucidator and stuck it in the ground, supporting his swaying body as he pulled himself to his legs. His breathing was ragged, his clothes were torn, but the raging pain was probably the worst of all. Blood, both theirs and his, crusted on his clothes and skin… but he couldn't allow himself to give up just yet.

Taking a wheezing breath, Kirito pulled out Elucidator and pointed it at the fidgeting goblin. On top of taking longer than him to make sense of the situation, his resurfaced vigor only added to their confusion.

His expression cooled.

Kirito's right arm folded towards his shoulder whilst his left moved slightly forward, soaking the entirety of Elucidator in a bloody flame.

He exhaled.

An ear-shattering jet engine noise pierced through the forest clearing as Elucidator shot forward at unseen speed, creating an audible shockwave strong enough to stagger the entire goblin army. With the Black Swordsman's rebirth, they belatedly realized that their roles were now reversed. They weren't hunting prey anymore, they had become his prey.

His and one other.

Concealed in the rustling foliage on an elevated hill, a shadowed presence clicked a polished bullet into the gaping chamber of her gun.

The sniper's fair featured face stood in sharp contrast to her icy glare. The frightening beauty of her emotionless routine left no room for mercy as her slender index finger pulled the trigger with familiar ease.

* * *

"Three down…", Sinon murmured as she confirmed the lifeless splattering of her target.

Noticing two sprinting goblins aiming to take advantage of Kirito's injured left, Sinon deftly reached forward with her right hand and grasped the perpendicular bolt handle. While her right moved forward, her left applied pressure to the main body of her rifle, shifting the orientation of the steaming muzzle. Identifying her targets through the crosshairs in her scope, Sinon fluidly pulled the bolt handle to eject a dancing shell into the air and continued guiding her hand back to her itching trigger, leaving it up to the spring mechanism to snap the chamber shut with a quick jerk.

No excess movement.

No excess force.

The mechanically executed procedure was completed within less than a second.

"Five down…", Sinon whispered and pulled the trigger.

* * *

The fighting had dragged on for tens of minutes at this point. Owing to Sinon's support, Kirito was able to remain relatively unharmed for the duration of the battle's second act and keep himself amongst the living.

Seeing as they had only ever partied up in ALO, Kirito had been oblivious to the overwhelming advantage of Sinon's supportive cover fire as a sniper and reminded himself to not to piss her off the next time he decided to visit her in GGO.

_"Only ..one left…"_

Despite standing up against the overwhelming odds that were stacked against him, Kirito was far from victorious. His breathing remained erratic and heavy as it had been since taking his wound, and while the throbbing of his cuts had lessened somewhat, overexertion of his body's left side caused excruciating jolts of crippling pain.

Even so, his enemy seemed to be in similar condition. The last remaining goblin had eluded his grasp so far by dexterously scurrying behind his broader chested peers and sneaking in blows whenever Kirito expected them the least. Though he might not have been as powerful as the average goblin, he was by far the most agile, though it seemed he had never experienced a conflict that had dragged on for this long. His chest heaved with painful urgency.

"Heh... you fight well for an Ium. Give me a name that I can share with my brothers", the goblin huffed as he wretched a curved dagger from the hands of his peer.

Kirito didn't expect this sudden hint at chivalry, but seemed obliged to honor his warrior's spirit, "…my name ..is Kirito. Call me the black swordsman if you like, that's what others seem to call me…", he confided him with his alias on a whim.

The goblin's eyes seemed to flicker with recognition at the offered name. Did he mistake him for someone else?

"My name is Abachi, second son of Abuli! It may have have been fate that brought us together today. I've never fought a wielder of the oriental sword before today … though it seems I may not have the opportunity hereafter…", the goblin seemed strangely melancholic as he boldly proclaimed his name.

Abachi retained a determined look as he fell into an offensive stance.

Kirito responded by doing the same, preparing himself for a quick dash. The hollow silence stretched into uneasy tension until Kirito finally initiated the attack by lurching forward. In a similar fashion, Abachi readied his curved dagger as he sprinted towards the black swordsman.

Considering reach and weapon quality alone, Kirito possessed a towering advantage. However, Kirito had lost a considerable amount of blood already, while Abachi seemed merely fatigued. Kirito's sword skills, while able to take his foes unaware before, had already been displayed to his current foe multiple times at this point, making them more predictable than they were useful.

That being said, this didn't necessarily put Kirito at a disadvantage.

As soon as Abachi entered his sword's reach, Kirito bent his right arm to seemingly rest Elucidator on his shoulder, activating the low ranking 1-hit, one-handed sword skill "Slant" that engulfed the pitch black sword in a light blue radiance. A split second later Elucidator darted forward and traced a sharp 45 angle in midair.

"You lose Kirito!", bellowed Abachi as his dagger readied itself to deliver the killing blow.

He had already seen Kirito use this skill a number of times against his fellow companions, giving him a vague grasp on it's reach and speed and allowing him to predict the sword's trajectory before it even started. The instant Kirito activated his skill, Abachi leapt backwards and managed to avoid an otherwise fatal blow, displaying a level of intuitive acrobatism that could have flourished if given the opportunity.

Expecting his telegraphed attack to be dodged, Kirito pushed his feet hard into the ground as the forcefully jerked Elucidator out of it's expected trajectory. While Elucidator still retained the bright blue glow of the system assist, the particle effect immediately started to wane as the system recognized the skill to be on the verge of interruption. A skill's forceful interruption was usually punished by a paralysis period significantly longer than the standard cool-down, spelling certain death for those that happened to experience them in the heat of battle. However, Kirito seemed eerily unfazed by the situation as the he allowed his sword's residual motion to carry it over beside his left hip. Almost immediately, the flickering blue light effect was once again set ablaze as Elucidator violently jerked upwards with invigorated haste, completely disregarding whatever inertial forces had acted on it prior to the skill's activation.

Kirito had overwritten the skill interruption penalty by activating another skill moments before the penalty had settled in; an impossibly difficult OSS (Outside System Skill) appropriately dubbed "Skill Connect".

Abachi, nigh petrified by the successive activation of Kirito's Secret Moves, was unable able to twist his body, stuck in mid-motion, out of the icy bite of Elucidator's approach and prevent the inevitable.

Elucidator effortlessly ripped through the leather armor covering his body and dug into his flesh. Starting from the center of his chest, Elucidator shattered rib after rib as it tore itself up towards his left shoulder, puncturing his lung with a simple graze, and excited his body as it shattered and severed shoulder blade and arm alike.

Compared to the pulsating pain that Kirito was barely able to tolerate, the state of his opponent was on a level he didn't even dare to imagine.

Blind and numb to the outside world, barely even conscious, Abachi lifelessly staggered forward in a dream as his remaining arm somehow remembered it's opposing foe. His dagger limply performed an action barely resembling an attack. Kirito solemnly stepped aside unhurriedly and watched the goblin collapse under his own weight like a discarded sack of meat.

A low thud echoed through the clearing.

For no given reason and for longer than would have been necessary, Kirito didn't move. He stayed and watched, looking down on the heap of meat and bones sprawling by his feat. The frazzled ends of his opened flesh were slick with blood and sweat, yet his eyes were wet with a different salt. Those eyes, despairingly looking up at him with dwindling purpose… despite the death of his body, the goblin's lingering spirit remained long enough to challenge Kirito for a last time. Captured by the intensity of his dying moments, Kirito remained at the corpse's side until his eyes lost their light. No polygons nor shaders, scripts nor codes, no program existed to emulate the taking of a life. Kirito's fingers twitched as he looked on, his mind carried off to a floating castle in the sky.  
Those he had killed then…  
Those he had killed now…  
Between those two Kirito felt no difference. He had extinguished life, killed a soul. An all too familiar melancholy settled in his heart as Kirito couldn't bare it anymore and knelt to close the eyes of the judging corpse; one of many.

Sheathing Elucidator and stepping over mushy carcasses to retrieve Dark Repulser, Kirito dismissed his darkening attitude as he straightened his body and faced towards the distant forest. There will be a time to grieve, but safety came first.

"Sinon! It is safe to come out now!"

Silently whimpering as he tightly tied a recycled bandage of black cloth around his arm's wounds, Kirito limped towards the origin of the deafening gunshots that had saved his life. If not for her, Kirito might not even be alive right now. Alive…

_"Inside the STL, wouldn't we just wake up in the real world if the simulation came to an end?"_, Kirito pondered as he reached the edge of the clearing.

Despite all the mysteries surrounding that god-encroaching machine, Kikuoka wouldn't needlessly risk Kirito's life on a whim. Even during the Death Gun incident, it was Kikuoka who had arranged for constant medical supervision throughout his dive to minimize risks. In other words, while Kirito was still unsure of Kikuoka's true intentions, he couldn't help but admit that he trusted him, albeit just minimally. Which meant-

_"-death in this world does not mean death in the real world."_

Despite the plausible conclusion, Kirito was unable to rid himself of his suspicions. This world simply felt too similar to the death game of SAO.

Worried by Sinon's lack of response, Kirito nervously started to observe the shadows of the woods. Even if she was hiding far away, he had been idling around for an ample amount of time already. Let alone joining, not a single trace of her feline presence could be found anywhere in these woods.

His tired muscles started to stiffen again as he thought back on his duel with Abachi. Let alone during their initial talk, Sinon had plenty of opportunities to take him out before he had the opportunity to lunge at Kirito and obscure an otherwise clear shot. For Sinon, who was able to accurately snipe a fast moving vehicle at a distance of 1km, the difficulty of eliminating a single immobile target at a fraction of that distance should be equal to tossing a scrunched up piece of paper in the waste basket.

_"So why didn't you shoot...?"_, Kirito contemplated.

Had Sinon depleted, or been about to deplete, her ammo supply? Kirito didn't know how many bullets she usually carried with her so this was a viable excuse to her inaction, but Sinon still carried her submachine gun with her as a side-arm. She wasn't the type of person to simply abandon him in a half-assed manner because her bullets ran out. This also didn't explain her continued absence.

In that case…

Kirito sucked up his fatigue and dived into the lurking shadows of the forest.

It was careless of him not to realize this before. Amongst the forty goblins, none of them particularly stood out as leader. The resulting chaos had given Kirito enough time to whittle down their numbers before they had a chance to establish some sort of formation, but precisely because of this favorable convenience he had overlooked the glaring truth. Their leader was not amongst them.

* * *

She was a fool.

Whilst supporting Kirito with her beloved Hecate, a whirlwind of emotions raged behind her ice-cold facade.

The loud thumping of her heart was but an expression of the irrational happiness Sinon felt when she found Kirito alive amongst the countless beastly creatures. Yet not a second passed until it was not happiness, but terror that fueled her briskly beating heart; a terror caused by nothing other than the rusted sword that descended on him like a famished vulture.

Her usually calculated movements were unrecognizable between her trembling hands and trembling pupils, while her irregular heartbeat grew louder and more intense with every passing second. By the time she spotted the goblin towering above Kirito through her scope, the blade was only centimeters away from his face.

Gravity. Direction of the wind. Moisture. Prediction of the target's movement.

Despite the fact that Sinon usually processed these variables subconsciously without effort, her mind deemed this process irrelevant in the presence of Kirito's eventual death. The very thought of adjusting the trajectory of her shot simply did not occur to her. To shoot just one second faster, for Kirito to remain in this world just a little longer, to kill his executioner just an instant earlier.

With these thoughts dominating her mind in a maelstrom of emotions, Sinon pulled her trigger.

Passing judgement on the beast who dared to oppose her, Hecate, the goddess of the underworld, silenced the world with a single shot.

As if intimidated by the goddess' wrath, time itself came to a halt, heralding a timeless and soundless hell.

Even though her bullet missed the head, severing the arm instead, there was no trace of displeasure on her face. In fact, it only seemed fitting that the beast who dared to oppose her should be punished for its insolence, and offering it's right hand for such a cause was only natural.

With steady movements, Hecate took aim once again.

As if the entirety of Sinon's emotions were contained in that first bullet, she was now left with nothing but an objective; to eliminate all those who meant to inflict harm on Kirito.

She was not sure at which point in time she painfully realized that Kirito's presence was accompanied by a faint flicker of her heartbeat, nor was she certain whether or not it was explicitly love which so easily tempered with her current state of mind. However, she was assured of one fact.

If not for Kirito, Sinon would have forever remained encaged in the trauma constructed by her own foolishness. Not only did he entrust her with the darkness he carried within the depths of his own soul, he also took it upon himself to shoulder her burden as well. He did more than simply rescue her from the depths of her own sorrow and guilt. He gave her the strength to let go of the trauma that haunted her for as long as she could remember, and gave her the chance to start her life anew. Rather than discarding her weak persona from the past, she accepted it whole heartedly.

Yet, as impressive as it sounded, the one who enabled her to take the first step was none other but Kirito.

Therefore, neither love nor affection currently resided in her heart. Sinon refused to taint such purity with the filth of wrath and contempt.

Instead, the source which fueled her merciless expression was not emotion, but logic. If the irrational and explosive fluctuations in her earlier behavior were the result of allowing her emotions free reign, her current sharpened equanimity stemmed from objective logical thought processing.

Having forcefully suppressed her emotions, Sinon truly became one with her sniper once more.

_"Ice…"_

Whether this ominous chant was said out loud or simply existed in the mental confines of her mind was indiscernible.

_"I am a machine made of cold ice."_

And as such, her objective was simple.

To protect Kirito and eliminate all who meant to harm him.

However, as stated before, she was a fool.

While immersed in the cruel culling of harm, Sinon failed to sense the concealed presences that lurked in the darkness of the forest.

* * *

Kirito's physical prowess had always been merely average. Even though he built up some stamina and muscle during the times he still practiced kendo with Suguha, he had abandoned most forms of physical exercise after his interest in computers and online games overcame his interest in said sport, and likewise, the obligation he felt towards his grandfather.

His physical condition only worsened during his confinement in the floating castle of Aincrad. Though he followed a rigid rehabilitation program ever since, his body never fully recovered, a weakness he was painfully reminded of each time he was helplessly overpowered by his younger sister's shinai during their frequent kendo matches.

However, this was only true when solely restricted to the physical world. As soon as Kirito entered the virtual realm his speed and agility were nearly unparalleled. That insane speed of his was partially achieved due to his natural talent and innate reaction speed, but was mostly a product of the processing power of his brain. The rate at which the brain received, processed, and responded to the Amusphere's signals was generally affected by the user's own talent and reflexes, but the deciding factor ultimately was one's familiar with the system. Kirito, who approached three years of total play time in the VRMMORPG genre, was therefore nearly unrivaled in terms of total playtime alone. While it was said that the "Absolute Sword" surpassed Kirito not only in speed but combat prowess as well, such speculations remain debatable.

Regardless, even with unrivaled reflexes and enhanced strength and agility parameters thanks to his incarnation into his SAO Avatar, Kirito was inevitably weighed down by his inflicted injuries which slowly ground away at his mental and physical fatigue.

Owing to his afflicted mobility, he had trouble navigating through the lush forest. While considerably meek when compared to the fantastical wild lands of ALO, the presence of hidden roots, moist earth patches, and thorn bushes effectively slowed down Kirito's approach. By the time he picked up on a trail of footsteps leading away from the clearing, ten minutes had already past, and it took him yet another twenty until he was finally able to catch up.

_"They stopped?"_

While not overly proficient at it, Kirito had learned to read trails during his years in SAO. Even if it wasn't an official skill included in the system, it was something he had started paying attention to after being sold on it by a certain mischievous information dealer. While it wasn't overly crucial in day to day combat, Kirito has been forced to admit its usefulness on multiple occasions… an excuse he told himself to help justify the unreasonable amounts of Col he spent to coax the lessons out of that particularly sly rat.

This situation was one of them.

Judging by the quantity and density of the footsteps laid bare before him, Kirito estimated the group he was tailing to consist of at least sixty to eighty people, though the size and depth of the footsteps were clearly inhuman.

That sheer number was off the charts. Even in SAO, let alone ALO, mobs of this size were restricted to trap rooms or high leveled dungeons, but even then an encounter of such size was exceedingly rare. With matters as they were, it would be suicide to even think about going up against a mob of that size…

…not that such a thing stopped Kirito before.

Leaning against a tree to allow himself a short break and regulate his breathing, Kirito's right hand unconsciously reached for his neck… and touched the white fabric that was wrapped around it. The slightly worn, yet surprisingly smooth texture of the muffler made itself evident upon contact with Kirito's fingertips. It was not particularly thick, but Kirito still felt a certain presence of a reinvigorating warmth which slowly spread from his neck throughout the entirety of his body. If his previous sluggish state was akin to heavy damp snow, then the revitalizing warmth he currently felt was comparable to a freshly scented spring breeze.

The original owner of this muffler was plainly obvious. He had found it close to the beginning of the trail and regretfully confirmed the realization of the worst case scenario.

Sinon was captured.

Owing to her low proficiency in close quarter combat, it was likely that Sinon was apprehended almost immediately after being discovered, which increased the possibility of her being taken hostage instead of being killed. In other words, it was plausible to assume that she was still alive.

Despite the painfully obvious power imbalance, the possibly of defeat not once crossed his mind.

It was not a question of whether or not Kirito could defeat the enemy force ahead of him.

He had to save Sinon.

That was all there was to it.

Questions nor doubts were permitted.

With newfound strength, Kirito approached the intimidating presence looming ahead of him.

* * *

_"..."_

The numerous goblins that were spread throughout the camping site threw together their belongings to mark their respective resting spots.

_"... ..."_

After witnessing the annihilation of one of their three battalions by two enemy Iums, they had decided to capture one of the enemy units for the mysterious Armament in her possession and deemed it a needles risk to attempt to capture the second.

_"... ... ..."_

After moving to a more secluded spot to avoid detection, the goblins decided to retreat to the Dark Territory. While the scouting party suffered a great loss, they had gathered a sufficient amount of geographical information and even captured what seemed to be an elite fighting force of the enemy. At the very least, the unique fighting style that the female Ium displayed was valuable intel that would even please "Him". After offering her to "Him", "He" would definitely forgive their losses. A high reward was very likely.

_"... ... ... ..."_

However, the joyous atmosphere was not shared by everyone.

_"... ... ... ... !"_

...especially not Sinon.

Her wrists and ankles were firmly held in place by coarse leather straps and a rough patch of cloth bridled her mouth, effectively muffling her many screams of protest.

While the cloth piece was originally considered unnecessary, this premature judgement was immediately retracted after Sinon showered them in a tidal wave of relentless verbal assault. Sinon was obviously conscious of the unfeminine nature of her behavior but simply decided not to give a damn.

Casting a quick glance at her immediate surroundings, Sinon slowly ceased her violent protest.

After being captured Sinon quickly realized that her captors were mostly brawn with little brain. In other words, while they possessed great strength disproportionate to their short build, their intellect was surprisingly low for the most part, which would make it possible for Sinon to turn their large numbers against them.

When moving in a large group a lulling sense of security was inevitable. Sinon could not blame the goblins for giving into such careless temptation, she too had given herself to fatigue when partying up for raids in GGO; it was only natural.

It was only a matter of time until the goblins succumbed to their mental fatigue and started to grow lax in their supervision of their newly acquired hostage. Of course the goblins were not wholly uninterested in their human specimen but they simply had more important things to worry about. Joy of returning home, unease of losing an entire battalion to two Ium, excitement of pleasing "Him" in front of their peers. The goblins gave into the lulling sense of security and allowed their minds to wander. The blazing summer sun only intensified the lingering absent minded atmosphere.

Realizing that this may be her only chance to escape, Sinon decided to act.

Seeing as most forms of modern weaponry and machinery were a mystery to this world, Sinon was referred to as a Sacred Arts user of some kind, a talented one at that, who used a Sacred Tool as a medium for her incantations. Using highly condensed metallic elements in conjunction with some sort of thermal propulsion method, Sinon was able to discharge her metallic elements with previously unthinkable velocity and cause considerable damage. The exact mechanics of this procedure remained a mystery to her captors, which was precisely why they had captured her alive in the first place. However, in their haste to relieve her from her Hecate II, the goblins overlooked her H&amp;K MP7 Submachine Gun.

"Gah!"

The high pitched squeal was followed by a heavy thud.

Even though Sinon was bound by the thick leather straps, her feet and hands were bound separately which allowed her a certain degree of freedom. After a few tries, she managed to pull out her silenced side arm quickly and was able to take care of the guards while they were still unaware about the capabilities of her weapon. Freeing herself from the crude leather using a dagger carried by one of her adversaries, Sinon prioritized the recovery of her beloved Hecate and then set out to break free from confinement.

Making use of the deep shadows cast by the numerous carts, equipment, and weapon stands along the way, Sinon carefully prowled towards the edge of the camp.

Her pace quickened...

... and got even faster still.

A lot had happened in the short time that had followed her arrival to this world, and the constant presence of adrenaline had started to tire her out.

Her body betrayed signs of sluggishness.

Her mind drowned in the soothing mists of fatigue.

Her emotional capacity was dried up from her earlier aggravation.

Freedom was so close. Too close.

Like a kitten comforted by the presence of it's mother, Sinon failed to notice the hound's presence in the dark.

_"!?"_

Before she could even start taking evasive measures, freedom slipped out of her grasp once more.

* * *

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Ten steps away from the forest's edge, Kirito was met with the high pitched cry of his cat-like companion.

"Sinon!"

The flicker of relief was washed away by smothering waves of distress. She was still alive, that much he could confirm, but her scream was dripping with desperate fear.

The leaves resting quietly on the damp turf whirled into the air as a black whirlwind dashed past, crossing the entire length between him and the goblin camp in a mere three steps.

Kirito was already prepared for a one-sided fight anyway, a determination that showed in his sure footed stride, so it wasn't surprising that he didn't even twitch an eye when greeted by the sight of three bulky goblins towering before him. Their physique and equipment were leaps above the torn armor and rusted weapons that Kirito had dealt with earlier that day.

_"Leader class goblins?"_

Kirito unsheathed and buried Elucidator in the soft grass at his feet to hide his injuries with theatrical flare.

"Let her go now!", Kirito demanded between his grit teeth; he made no attempt to mask his raging enmity.

Out of the three goblin generals, the one positioned in the middle restrained Sinon in a laughable embrace. His arms were wrapped around her sniper rifle pressing against her chest, two thick arms that secured her at hip and mouth. While it could be considered fortunate that Sinon's back was turned towards him, Kirito thought this to be all the more cruel due to the shameless display of her helpless expression. The goblin donned her like a trophy. Gradually more and more goblins swarmed in from the camp to bear witness to the show, and soon Kirito was trapped within a gapless wall of flesh and steel.

Kirito involuntarily frowned at the realization of alerting the entire enemy camp of his presence before he could even make an attempt at infiltration.

Nevertheless…

"I said let her go!", his voice did not waver in the slightest.

Bathed in Kirito's fury, the crowd's chatter faded away.

"You don't honestly think you're in a position to make demands, do you? Look around you Ium", the general to the left mocked with a conceited smile.

"Kukukuku, he sure is stupid for a dog! I will enjoy ripping him apart", continued the general to the right.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. It was my battalion that this Ium wiped out. Scum like this will be taken care of by me."

"Geh?! Just because your whelp of a squad couldn't deal with a pest doesn't mean that you can take all the glory for yourself! You're just afraid to return to his majesty without any achievements to make up for your losses."

"Hmph, just what I would expect from a beast who only-"

"ENOUGH!", a mighty roar echoed through the clearing.

The one who put an end to the dispute was the leader class goblin in the middle. In shame, the disputers lowered their gazes while the third's never left Kirito. A few seconds passed as the goblin continued to observe him with an evaluating gaze.

"Answer me Ium. Are you the one who is called the Black Swordsman?"

Confusion briefly delayed Kirito's response, "So what if I am!"

_"I can't remember letting any of the goblins from before escape…"_

"It's been more than a year now ever since your name became known to us as the Guardian of the Northern Cave. To think I would be given the opportunity to best you in battle."

_"…"_, doubt showed itself on Kirito's face once more, a change in expression his opposite doubtlessly noted.

"Nearly one year ago our scouting patrol was repelled in the Northern Cave by an Ium who called himself the 'Black Swordsman'. Not only was he able to best 'Lizard Killer Ugachi' in battle, but he was said to ruthlessly butcher goblins with a sword imbued with the light of Solus. Naturally the story of the 'Black Swordsman' was believed to be just a story conjured up to lighten the punishment of those that turned craven and abandoned their mission, but…"

Both curious and hungry, the goblin's eyes never left Kirito's own.

"…it seems they were right after all."

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about. Be it frozen caves or lizard killers, I don't care, just release her and we can end this without spilling any more blood."

It was strange that the goblins were apparently aware of his alias already, and even more so when considering that they had been for over a year. Was there somebody else in this world who called himself the Black Swordsman? It surely wasn't a unique nickname. Still, something about the tale was strangely disconcerting. Not it's absurdity, but rather it's familiarity.

Noting Kirito's pause, the goblin commander added on.

"Frozen cave… Don't try to hide it. Don't cheat me of the satisfaction of your death, Black Swordsman."

Kirito's mouth opened to challenge his adversary, refute his claims and clear his name of the misunderstanding, but his words choked at his throat. Not a sound arose to support his denial.

But why?

Kirito's right hand absent-mindedly hovered towards his injured shoulder. His fingers, cold and trembling, moved so slow that one might think they were held back by an invisible wall. When they finally connected, Kirito was assaulted by pain.

_"The wound… it's cold."_

Every fiber in his body started to reject the strange sensation manifesting in his wound; the icy bite of a wound not of this time. Pain he never should have felt from a wound he never received. Despite the summer sun glaring down at him, Kirito might as well have been blanketed in cold frost.

The cold. The ice. The damp blood escaping his body. Everything seemed so nostalgic.

Before he could lose himself in his daydream, Kirito was dragged back to reality by a muffled scream.

"ARG-! ...ET GO... IECE OF SHI...HMPFFF-!"

It wasn't just Kirito who took note of the strange sound. Nearly the entire audience present, including the actors on stage, turned their attention to the squirming kitten in the hound's jaws.

The goblin general in question reluctantly diverted his gaze from Kirito and looked down at the prey in his arms. It seemed his hold on her had loosened while his attention was occupied with Kirito. The difference was barely noticeable, though it was enough for Sinon to slightly shift the position of her arms without alerting her captor. Fitting her finger onto the trigger of her sniper, Sinon lifted her feet and tensed her abdominal muscles and legs.

"What did you sa-?"

Sinon did not allow him to finish.

Swinging down her legs with all her weight, Sinon rammed her heel into the goblin's groin. Following the motion of her legs, she arched her back and pushed against the base of her sniper with her lower torso. Even if only slightly, the unexpected strike caused her captor to moderately tilt forward, aligning him with the muzzle of Sinon's Hecate that had reclined backwards. Awaiting the alignment, her index finger pulled back the trigger.

At point black range the bullet ignored the existence of the goblin's skull and proceeded on unhindered. Meeting the goddess' wrath head on, the goblin general's head exploded into fine pink mist, while his neck and chest were rendered into a seared pile of frayed muscles, tendons, and splintered bone-shards. Convulsing spurts of blood gushed out his throat like a crimson fountain.

Fully absorbing the recoil of the shot with her body, Sinon was propelled out of the goblin's lifeless arms with no way of bracing herself for the fall. Leaping forward, Kirito left Elucidator stuck in earth behind him and cushioned Sinon's fall as best as his battered body allowed him to.

"Huff!", Kirito suppressed his gasp as Sinon's unexpected weight punched out the air in his lungs.

Kirito managed to regain his balance after tumbling backwards by several steps and couldn't help but recall the other times he had carried her in this manner; a manner his sister would refer to as "Bridal Style" if he remembered correctly. She hadn't been as heavy then as she was now though (given that she carried her sniper), a difference visibly displayed on his strained expression.

Regardless of that, they were reunited at last.

While their "reunion" may have seemed inconsequential considering that they were only parted for a mere few hours, either of them had been fighting for their life every second following their arrival, a detail not so easily ignored.

Alas, right now Sinon was cradled in Kirito's arms. Their emotional turmoil and physical hardships left their respective scars on the two warriors, so both relished their short-lived window of peace. Obsidian rock and glistening sapphire joined once again, losing themselves in the eyes of the other. Sinon slowly, longingly, reached for Kirito's neck and captured the frazzled young man in a loving embrace.

"Kirito…", a low whisper escaped Sinon's pink lips.

Kirito felt her soft words brush against his earlobe as the white fabric of her muffler brushed against his neck. As Sinon leaned in closer to undo the ribbon that secured her muffler at Kirito's neck, Kirito became increasingly aware of her physical proximity, her touch, and returned to his drunken stupor from before. The seeping cold from his shoulder's wound was nowhere to be found, instead his body was now home to a blazing heat.

Then, out of nowhere, the muffler at his neck was suddenly pulled away. Allowing him not time to respond, that action was briefly followed by a forceful head-butt.

His assailant: Sinon.

"Uwaaa?!", letting out a bewildered gasp, the backwards stumbling swordsman found himself subjected to the glare of the ferocious wildcat towering before him with her arms crossed.

"What took you so long?!"

"... eh?", was the only thing Kirito could manage to squeeze out in response to the unexpected turn of events.

That only seemed to upset the fuming sniper more. Returning her muffler to it's original place, Sinon ranted.

"Don't 'eh' me! Do you have any idea what I've been through?! These goblins, they smell just about as bad as they look, and don't get me started on their sweat. It's repulsive! Where have you been? Why did you leave me? Do you have any idea how painful it was to watch you die?! How annoying it was to see you give up before these stupid goblins?! Why didn't you wait for me? I was looking for you! I was worried about you! I would have come! I would have saved you! Do you even…", Sinon continued to shout, shouting out whatever came to mind, shouting out whatever she felt in her heart, shouting out whatever frustration had been building up inside her.

She knew that Kirito was not at fault, that much was obvious, but she was unable to reign in the storm of words that poured out of her. Soon her sentences became incoherent and irrelevant, her angry rant began to be laced with tearful sobs. Still, she continued on, hammering her weak fists against his sturdy chest.

Despite all that, Kirito's face remained calm and unfazed. His initial bafflement changed to a compassionate smile. Without replying, he merely stood in silence, smiling at the flushed face of a teary eyed sniper. No matter how strong Sinon made herself to be, she could not get rid of the frailty born from her gentle nature. Even the most heavily fortified structure would budge under enough pressure, so the only thing Kirito could do right now was to lighten the load on her shoulders.

Ironically, it was that very weakness that Sinon and tried her best to hide, especially from Kirito. Regaining her wits she slowly came to a close. While her earlier agitation and teary expression were gone now, a pink blush remained unnoticed; a faint shade of red that served to soften her features.

Opening her mouth in a bashful manner, she was about to say something, when suddenly-

"You done?", the tranquility was shattered by the coarse voices of the remaining goblin generals.

"What a waste, it turns out that we can't let that Ium girl live after all. Bringing her back alive after killing a general would be a disgrace on our part."

"Which means we're 'forced' to kill them now! Kehehe, after bringing back their heads we're sure to get a reward."

"You're right. Even with how things turned out, the tale of the Black Swordsman should be enough to-"

Whether it was intentional mockery or simply coincidence was not clear, but for second time on this day, the brutish exchange between the unruly generals was cut off yet again.

"Enough!", Sinon authoritatively commanded as she glanced back over her shoulder, murderous intent flickering in the icy shade of her azure eyes.

A chilly atmosphere descended upon the campsite.

Sinon became aware of a change within her.

Never before in her life had she truly despised someone; the feeling of hate was unknown to her. Although she had every reason to loathe the robber from her past, her "best friend" who had tried to murder her, or the bullies that repeatedly extorted money from her, she could never really bring herself to despise them to the level of wishing their deaths on them. Needless to say, she did not view them in an overly positive light either.

She was never given the reason nor opportunity to utterly despise someone from the bottom of her heart.

Until now.

With a glare sharp and pointed like a dagger, Sinon bore into source of her hate.

Even though the goblins were not the only ones that had attempted to kill Kirito, Kyouji being a prime example, they were the only ones thus far to have done so for no other reason but personal gain. While the difference between this case and that of Kyouji's seemed paper thin, Sinon eventually deemed it irrelevant whether or not the logic was justifiable or not. The hostility that currently made itself known to Sinon was a base and raw emotion that had no need for reason.

Similarly, Kirito needed no reason other than Sinon to steel his mind for the upcoming battle. He would harm them just as they had harmed her. Simple as that.

Kirito walked towards Elucidator, still edged in the ground, and positioned Sinon behind his back as he did so. He was not sure whether or not she had recovered enough to join him in battle. For now, he would protect her.

"Leave this time me", he thus stated openly.

He was neither playing the part of the hero of justice, nor mocking the strength of his adversaries, he was merely driven by concern. Yet this was not clear to everyone present.

"Hmph!"

"Ke."

Their grunts of displeasure resounded in unison. Acting on arrogance, the generals pulled out their weapons and signaled the surrounding goblins to back off. This was their fight. Their prey. No one was allowed to interfere.

The goblin to Kirito's left armed himself with a sword in his right and a noticeably flat shield on his left. Looking closely, one could spot the well maintained sharpened edge of the circular disk.

Next to him, the goblin on Kirito's right donned a crudely forget mace made for crushing and breaking rather than cutting.

Kirito himself simply walked towards his own sword that stood erect in the ground and palmed the hard leather grip.

That action sufficed as a signal.

Almost simultaneously, the goblin bearing the mace charged forward while the other swung his shield straight at Kirito.

As expected, the "shield" seemed to double as a projectile weapon when not needed for defense. Tightly gripping Elucidator, Kirito's consciousness stepped up a gear.

In his mind he considered the following:

The distance between the two goblins and Kirito was equal for both, meaning that they could have attacked him simultaneously from different angles if they charged in together. Instead, they opted for a different strategy. By throwing the cutting disk at the same time as the goblin on the right started his charge, Kirito would have to first defend against the disc (that naturally covered the distance faster than the goblin), creating an opening that the goblin bearing the mace could exploit. While the mace did not seem overly powerful, Kirito would still suffer fatal injuries if he were hit directly.

On the other hand, dodging was out of the question as well. If Kirito were to dodge left, he would undoubtedly be forced to meet the charge of the goblin on the left, exposing Sinon to the simultaneous attacks of the disk and the mace wielding goblin.

Similarly, dodging either above, or below the disk would needlessly expose him too close to the mace's attack range, and leave Sinon vulnerable to the disc's trajectory once again.

His mind automatically terminated any courses of action that posed a threat to Sinon and opted for meeting the disk head on.

By utilizing the 2-hit, one-handed sword skill "Vertical Arc", Kirito could string together the act of defending and attacking in one fluid motion. He would strike down the shield with a swift downward strike, and meet the mace's force with the chained in upward strike. Even though he would be subjected to a brief delay, the goblin would have his momentum stopped as well.

However, this plan was still plenty risky, seeing as it was largely dependent on the actions of the left goblin. If he were to remain as he was, victory belonged to Kirito, yet if he were to follow up with an attack, Kirito would be unable to respond to any attacks aimed at his injured left. With his access to Dark Repulser restricted, this was the worst case scenario.

The stationary black sword responded to it's swordsman's touch, ripping through the earth as Kirito charged forward to meet his foes.

Approximately two meters away from the spinning disc, Kirito planted his feet into the ground and pulled out his sword from the earth and activated "Vertical Arc" in one fluid motion.

A high pitched ring followed the union of metal and steel. The cutting disc was crushed helplessly under the enormous weight of Elucidator and was discarded lifelessly on the ground. As his sword's tip neared the shaking grass beneath it, Kirito halted briefly in a lowered stance to take in the mad descent of his enemy's mace. It's speed was neither great nor sloppy so Kirito was confident that he could neutralize it as long as he hit it with the system assist. However…

Flicking his eyes to the left, Kirito clicked his tongue in displeasure. Charging in at considerable speed was the other general.

Kirito did not panic, he had already prepared for this possibility. All he could do at this point was to neutralize the mace's strike and do his best to minimize any incoming injuries. As long as he could overcome the freezing penalty fast enough, he would still be able to retaliate.

Adjusting the orientation of his wrist, the black swordsman used his entire body's strength to guide the bluely lit blade upwards. Both weapons now a blur, their impact was heralded with a mighty blast.

The concussive blast was too heavy to be the product of a sword however.  
In fact, it didn't seem to be the product of medieval weaponry at all.  
The source of the explosion came from behind Kirito.

"Wha-?!", Kirito gasped due to the tearing impact that assaulted his right arm.

With unrelenting force akin to punching a moving train, Kirito was suddenly forced to his knees as Elucidator was smashed deep into the ground up to it's asymmetrical hand-guard, violently pulling Kirito down with it. Strangely enough, the two goblin commanders mimicked his descent as both collapsed backwards under their own weight, glistening droplets of red marking their fall.

Kirito had already lost count of how many times he had been overtaken by surprise up to this point, but he dutifully added this event to the list.

Taking a moment to settle his quivering bones, a remnant of the force transmitted to him though the faintly humming sword, Kirito turned to shoot a scolding look at the cause of his discomfort.

"…Sinon!", armed with a forced smile and twitching eyebrow, Kirito left the words, 'What the hell was that?!' unspoken.

Sinon met his concealed(?) temper with a faultless smile. Much like his, this expression was 100% fake as well.

Ignoring the clear implication in Kirito's tone, Sinon provocatively replied, "Congratulations on masterfully splitting that bullet Kirito-kun. To even hit those two while you were doing that, you are truly a master swordsman aren't you?~"

Her chiming voice was laced with sarcasm.

Taking the bait, it was now Kirito's turn to throw a tantrum.

"This isn't a photon blade from GGO but an actual sword forget of metal, you know?! What if you hit my hand, or more importantly, what if you broke Elucidator!? …no actually that's not more important, but still, what if you'd broken Elucidator? I told you that I could take them on on my own!"

"Is that so? Oh my apologies Black Swordsman-sama, but I just couldn't help but notice that guy on your left… jackass."

"Ugh", Kirito visibly flinched.

"In any case, were friends. We're companions, comrades. Telling me to stand back and watch you get injured is an insult to our relationship!"

Her words cut deep… the truth cut deep. In his clumsy effort to "protect" Sinon, he had begun to neglect and ignore her. She wasn't his daughter, his little sister, or a friend too weak to defend herself. She was a tried and tested warrior, she was GGO's finest sniper, but most importantly, she was his trusted partner.

_"…I give up"_, Kirito breathed a defeated sigh.

Sinon's honesty had taken him unawares, but it seemed to be a kick to his butt that he deserved. Still… he would lecture her about the structural integrity of his swords at a later time. Looking at her face, he could not help but answer her determination with a bemused smile.

"What are you laughing about!", Sinon's helpless response only helped to broaden Kirito's grin.

"In any case, we should probably take care of those guys first."

Sinon was right, the goblins were far from being defeated. The sniper bullet that had downed the two commanding goblins had been split in two only after having most of it's kinetic force absorbed by Elucidator, so it was a given that neither of them were lethally injured.

The goblins weren't completely unharmed however. The remains of the bullet had punched through their studded leather and punctured their flesh, though far from weakening them, the injury only served to fuel their rage.

Furiously scrambling to their feet and collecting their discarded weapons, the goblins roared at their human pair who… seemed to be completely unfazed.

Sinon's cheeks were still faintly reddened and Kirito still showed traces of a smile from their previous exchange. It was not that their earlier fatigue and tension suddenly disappeared, it simply seemed irrelevant. Finding comfort in the presence of the other, the emotional turmoil the pair had been subjected to finally came to an end.

They felt no need to be afraid anymore, to be enraged, sorrowful, or anxious.

Simply by having each other, simply by being there for each other, they were able to come to terms with their uniquely absurd situation; they were not alone anymore.

At this moment they were truly reunited.

Pulling out Dark Repulser with his right, Kirito walked forward and placed Sinon behind his back. This time it was not to protect her however, but to entrust his back to her.

Kirito feet thumped across the ground to the sound of Sinon's metallic chime of her bullet chamber.

By the time the discarded shell danced on the ground, the outcome of the battle was already decided.

* * *

**Author's Note**

Well then, that was it.

I'm aware that this chapter somehow grow into freakish proportions, but think of the discomfort you had while chewing through these 9,000 words as an allusion to the fatigue felt by both Kirito and Sinon… or whatever else would justify you reading this fanfiction of mine.

By the way, this will be irrelevant for later readers, but I've changed the labelling of my chapters to accommodate the growing size of this story. Essentially, this story grew from a simple four chapter excuse to write a lemon to something a bit bigger, though whether that's good or bad I can't really say yet. The outline is done and over with, so it's not like this story will go on to be a directionless ramble, but let's see how you'll respond to later events…


	4. Interlude (1)

**Author's Note**

Hey there, this is ChristmasForJuan.

I know I already said so in my first chapter, but with this chapter I want to emphasize it once again. This story is set in the Alicization Arc, which is the Arc following the Mother's Rosario Storyline, meaning it might be for the better if you caught up to the novels before reading this. I'll do my best to build the setting of this world in these little Interlude Segments for those that haven't read the novels yet or those that have forgotten some of the minor details, but obviously the books are great, so I'll obviously urge you to read them whenever I can.

I know that not everyone out there is thrilled to read through fourteen books of story, but seeing as Alicization follows GGO you can simply pick up from the ninth novel to circumvent the re-reading of known content. While the anime butchered the novels to an extent, they still provide you with the knowledge you need to go into the Alicization Arc.

So yeah, basically I'm encouraging you to read the books if you can because the source material will inevitably turn out better than it's adaptations, but then again there really is no need to if you don't have the time.

Ignore the ramblings of this particular fanboy if you want.

* * *

**3rd Month of the Human World Calendar, 379**

The Human World.

With a radius of exactly 755 KiloMel, the known human world formed a perfect circle. It's circumference was marked by a gigantic mountain range, also called "The Mountain Range at the Edge", which protected the human realm from the monsters dwelling in the "Land of Darkness". The exact size, appearance, and even inhabitants of said realm was extremely ambiguous since no human had ever witnessed it with their own eyes. All but the divine Integrity Knights, messengers of the Holy Axiom Church.

Positioned in the center of the known world, the Holy Axiom Church was surrounded by the Capital City Centoria. Worthy of it's name, Centoria boasted a diameter of ten KiloMel, making it the largest known city in existence. Due to this, along with the fact that it was the point furthest removed from the Mountain Range at the Edge, it's denizens were ignorant to the forces of darkness that dwelled beyond the mountain range despite being the most adept at swordsmanship.

The exception, of course, were the Integrity Knights, who battled the armies of the land of darkness daily to keep them at bay.

There was another one more exception however. This exception took the form of two adolescent boys, casually walking through the streets of Centoria. One was a boy with flaxen-colored hair, carrying a blue crystalline sword that was crowned by a glamorous translucent rose by the hilt. Both, the sword and it's swordsman, gleamed with an air of elegance that would not have felt out of place in nobility. In complete contrast to him, the other boy had black unkempt hair and a similarly wild appearance. Carrying not a sword but a black branch instead, one would naturally assume he were a poor farmer if it were not for his stainless clothes and his pouch fat with coins. Simply by waking through the crowded streets, the unusual pair attracted a lot of attention.

But what really distinguished them from the common masses wasn't their physical appearance, but the power that they harbored underneath.

In this world, power was decided by four factors: Object Control Authority, System Control Authority, Personal Skills, and Imagination.

"Object Control Authority" was an ambiguous term that represented physical strength, ability to equip stronger weapons, ability to tame wild beasts, etc. Essentially it was a calculated value of one's authority over physical "things".

"System Control Authority" referred to one's proficiency in magic, or as it was called in this world, usage of "Sacred Arts". The higher the rank of the spell one wished to use, the higher had to be the caster's "System Control Authority".

In conclusion, Object and System Control Authority were calculated numerical values that represented a combatant's prowess with physical and magical attacks, values that could could be viewed at any time by summoning one's own "Stacia Window".

On the other hand, Personal Skills and Imagination were factors that could not be given numerical form. Personal Skills referred to one's sword style, reflexes, combat experiences, etc., while Imagination alluded to a complicated procedure that pitted a select few fluctlight signals against each other. In order to truly understand the power of Imagination, one first had to grasp the structure of this world.

This world, also referred to as "Underworld" by it's creators, was undoubtedly a virtual world. This was repeatedly proven by the existence of system commands, status windows, and sword skills. Having said that, it was not "just" a virtual world either, which was made apparent by the unique intelligence of it's inhabitants, and the sense of reality perceived by the five senses that was equal to the real world.

In other words, "Underworld" was a perfect virtual world that was inhabited by perfect Artificial Intelligences. It was a miracle made possible by the STL. While similar in concept, the STL operated differently than the NervGear, AmuSpere, and Medi-Cuboid. Instead of creating a virtual world consisting of polygons and immersing the player in that world, the STL wrote mnemonic data straight into the user's fluctlight; his soul.

Inversely, if a user would interact with the world, he would send data from his own fluctlight to interact with the data stored in the "Light Cube Cluster", a device that housed the entirety of the world's information, and alter the stored information. For example, if the user were to pick up a branch in Underworld, the data in the "Light Cube Cluster" would be changed from "Lying on the ground" to "Being picked up" upon interacting with the signal sent from the user.

This meant that the imagination of a user held the potential to alter the information of the world as long as the interference strength of his signals were greater than the interference strength of the world's data, or that of another user.

Taking this theory to the extreme, it would be possible for a skilled swordsman to cut through diamond with just a wooden sword. Naturally, this theory remained unproven at this point in time, and was unlikely to ever happen at all.

However, having just entered the fifth district of the Capital City Centoria, the two conspicuous swordsmen weren't solely astounding in terms of power, but what they had been through to obtain said power.

"…Kirito?"

As mentioned before, the two youngsters drew a lot of attention merely by openly walking through the streets. While the dark clothed individual seemed to be completely unfazed by the inquisitive glances directed at him, his flaxen-haired friend seemed to be more conscious of them. Buckling under the pressure, he called out to his partner.

"Hmmm?", answered Kirito in a dazed manner.

_"I wonder how he does that…"_, Eugeo thought wryly in response, after realizing that Kirito was relaxed enough to daydream even in a situation like this.

_"Even with your easy going attitude, this is a bit too much!"_

However, seeing as the initial objective of his attempt at conversation was to distract himself from the surrounding stares and not to lecture Kirito on his lax attitude (again), he did not vocalize this thought.

Instead, Eugeo replied in a meek voice.

"What were you thinking about just now?"

Having spent his time together with Kirito for almost a year now, Eugeo was already used to his partner's habit of losing himself in thought. However, that didn't mean that he was uninterested in the workings of his partner's elusive mind.

"Ah, you noticed? Well I was just remembering that time with Selka. You know, back in the northern cave?", Kirito calmly muttered.

"You mean when we had to fight those goblins?! It was a miracle that we made it out of there alive… Speaking of which, why would you think of something like that right now?"

"I don't know, it just sorta popped into my head", Kirito stated with a broad grin.

"Ah, what to do with you… In any case, if you have time thinking about random things like that, you should take your studies more seriously."

"But memorizing all those long spells is so boring. In the first place, reciting those in the middle of combat is going to be really difficult isn't it? In that case, I would prefer to just charge in and attack the enemy directly."

"I understand that, but wouldn't you be at a disadvantage if your user managed to recite his Sacred Art before you got close enough to attack him?"

The conversation naturally shifted to battle strategies and sword techniques, which was a frequent topic the both of them were devoted to. Now at ease, Eugeo's previous discomfort seemed like a dream. Partially because of this and the excitement of finally attending the Imperial Master Sword Academy, he did not notice the faint shadow that clouded Kirito's eyes when he mentioned the incident of one year ago.

While Kirito did not have a bad memory by far, a lot had happened during the past year which lead to him forgetting trivial details of his first fight against the goblins. However, as the memory randomly popped into his head, he could vividly picture that scene with astounding accuracy.

Furthermore, even if it was just for a mere instant, he somehow pictured Sinon by his side instead of Eugeo.

Blaming it on his fatigue from walking too much, Kirito shrugged it of without a second thought and continued his conversation with his travel companion.

* * *

**Author's Note**

Well then, this is it. I hope you guys enjoyed the other side of this story.

I might have mentioned this before, but I will structure this story parallel to the original storyline for as long as the original canon allows me to, before I'll inevitably be forced to branch off into my own canon. I had some cool conclusions in mind… so let's see if the SAO Novels allow me to put them in place.


	5. Act 1: Prologue (4)

**3rd Month of the Human World Calendar, 379**

The long winded fight finally found it's expected conclusion.

After striking down their leaders, at least half of the remaining goblins sought vengeance for their slain commanders, while the other half saw this as their chance to escape. Even though both of them were surrounded by this horde of enemies, the pair managed to survive the onslaught without sustaining any additional injuries. That being said, it wasn't like they managed to pull off this feat without any sacrifice at all.

Due to Sinon's proficiency in long-ranged combat, she was responsible for creating a perimeter and eliminating those who entered it, while Kirito's mastery in melee combat allowed him to cover Sinon's blind spots and reload periods. By assuming this formation, they were able to overcome their a disadvantageous situation, though only at the cost of Sinon's bullets.

There was no way to replenish bullets in this world, which meant that the ammo present in her pouches was the only ammo she would ever get her hands on. Forced to use her side-arm in the previous battle, Sinon was left with a mere two bullets for her Hecate.

Deciding that it would be best to avoid combat from now on, the two survivors relieved their opponents of their money pouches (whether this was survival instinct or a gamer's habit remained a mystery) and set off to find food and shelter.

Traveling south-west, they eventually found an abandoned cottage built on an elevated surface at the edge of the forest. With the blue sky turning into a warm orange, the pair was subjected to a breathtaking view.

In the west they could make out the glistering surface of twin ponds, connected by an inexhaustible river that joined one side of the horizon with the other. A lush and vibrant orchard filled the eastern view, while the sight of a tranquil village adorned the landscape beyond the river.

Finding comfort in the relaxed atmosphere, Kirito and Sinon decided to stay the night.

"How do I look?", Sinon asked as she emerged from the house.

Already done with the preparations for the miniature sized campfire, Kirito blankly answered, "It suits you really well."

"…", Sinon swallowed her reply after the unexpected compliment.

As her faint blush melted into the magenta sunset, she merely averted her gaze and sat herself beside Kirito.

Their battle attire had been soiled by dirt, blood, and sweat, so they had borrowed a fresh change of clothes from one of the cabin's wardrobes and washed themselves and their original garments in a nearby well. However, since they could only find men's clothing, Sinon eventually settled on an oversized, woolly sweater that barely extended to her knees; all the pants she tried on would slide off her slender hips. Since this was only a temporary alternative, she did not mind briefly wearing this type of clothing.

The sweater itself was soft to the touch and big enough to cover the majority of Sinon's bare body. Nonetheless, starting from a halfway point between her knees and her pelvis; graceful, peach colored legs peeked out from underneath the cloth. Furthermore, due to the size of the neck-hole, Sinon's exposed shoulder bashfully announced it's presence while bathed in the dim light of the serene campfire.

Subjected to the combined might of innocence and allure, Kirito's earlier compliment was an understatement of epic proportions. While he himself was aware of that fact, he considered it a miracle that he was able to mutter any reply at all. In the presence of her girlish side he had never witnessed before, he became increasingly aware of her female qualities.

Donning dark leather pants and a black, long-sleeved tunic himself, Kirito broke the emerging silence.

"So, Sinon?"

Turning her head towards Kirito, she replied with an interested glance.

"How much do you remember from the time when the simulation broke down? As for me, after we were separated, the next thing I remember was waking up in that clearing."

"Same. After we fell into that darkness I woke up next to that river over there. It was fortunate that I decided to look for you in the forest", Sinon stated with a relieved smile.

"Yeah... Thanks for that. I have no idea how I will ever repay you for that."

"Ah... No that's... You don't really have to do anything..."

Sinon thoughtlessly hugged her knees close to her body while stuttering. Maybe because of the comfort of their newfound sanctuary, Sinon's real world counterpart, Asada Shino, gradually took over.

Sinon continued, "Then how are we going to return to the real world? So far, I was unable to summon a menu or anything resembling one. I also don't think intentionally killing ourselves would be a smart move either."

"Hmmm... Well, it's not like this world came out of nowhere either, right? Maybe this is still a part of the simulation from before, and that 'error' that we experienced back then was simply a test of some sorts? Then again, I don't think that even Kikuoka-san would approve of something like this."

"Well, but even if there had been a mistake, they should still be able to monitor us from the real world. Judging by how they haven't ejected us yet, they probably want us to finish the simulation despite the error that occurred that time. Either that, or they are unable to eject us at all, meaning that we have to find a system console in this world to log out ourselves… But still, even for a next gen console, this is way too realistic. At first, I couldn't even tell that we are still in a virtual world."

"They did say something about using mnemonic data instead of polygons, but I agree, this is no different from the real world... even the pain...", Kirito paused for a moment while caressing his bandaged left arm.

"In any case, we should just try our best to finish this simulation. I am not too keen on finding out whether or not death could forcefully eject us from here by experiencing it ourselves either, so I'll be relying on your support once again Sinon!"

At the sudden change in atmosphere, Sinon tensed up.

"Ah- I-I'll do my best! ...I'll be in your care..."

By now, the sniper Sinon had almost completely vanished already, making the one responsible for the startled reply Asada Shino's meek personality.

Completely thrown off by Sinon's surprisingly cute behavior, Kirito could only rely on the darkness to hide his reddened cheeks.

"... likewise", he whispered with a smile.

The sun had already set by now, meaning that Sinon was no longer bathed in it's magenta colors. However, much to Kirito's dismay, her current appearance was ten times more aggressive.

With the sun gone, the brilliance of the moon now bathed the human world in a clear light. As if attracting the moon's blessing, Sinon's arctic blue hair seemingly trickled down her cheeks like molten spring water. In contrast to her light blue hair, the flickering warmth of the fire danced upon her smooth, flawless skin, casting secretive shadows to emphasized her feminine curves.

Attempting to avert his gaze, Kirito found himself unable to move as he took in her breathtaking appearance.

Similarly, Sinon was at a loss of how to respond to his enthralled stare. Being aware of her own appearance only amplified her timid behavior.

"W-we should head to bed soon..."

"Ah, you'r-re right ..."

Hurriedly scrambling to their feet, Kirito and Sinon extinguished the campfire and returned to the cabin, only to find out that-

"...there is only..."

"...one bed?"

Just as one would guess, the east wall of the cabin was fitted with a single bed only.

Failing to notice this sooner, Kirito suggested, "In that case, I will sleep on the ground."

"But your injuries still hurt, don't they? We managed to stop the bleeding earlier, but that doesn't guarantee that the wound won't reopen, especially if you sleep on the hard floor! It's alright, you can have the bed."

"Ehhh, but I can't make a girl sleep on the floor either!"

"Then let's share the bed."

Before Sinon could hold back that impulsive thought, it had already left her tongue. The matter-of-fact way she said it, made it seem like a perfectly logical course of action, yet merely considering the possibility of sharing a bed with Kirito caused a furious blush to assault her face, extending even to the tips of her ears.

"..."

Kirito was dumbstruck by Sinon's assertive proclamation. To be fair, it wasn't like he didn't consider this favorable option either, but it was simply that unexpected for Sinon to naturally suggest it herself.

_"Well ... but if Sinon is ok with it, then I am going to be the weird one for going against it ..."_, reasoned Kirito with broken logic.

Answering an instant before Sinon was able to open her mouth to retract her earlier statement, Kirito answered, "Hahaha, you're right ... it's not like this is a big deal right ...?"

And so the situation spiraled even further into chaos.

Sinon, now unable to deny her own suggestion, was left with no other choice but to state in a dry laugh, "... you are right ... not a big deal ..."

And so their fate was decided.

Resulting in what could be easily the worst/best possible outcome, Kirito and Sinon ended up sharing the bed. Due to it's small size, the helpless pair was separated by only a few centimeters. Occupying the left half of the bed, Kirito faced inwards, granting him an unobstructed view of Sinon's back.

Having spent the last two hours in this predicament, the sleepless Sinon finally felt the irregular breathing behind her calm down. Not that this would improve her current situation at all, since the damp breath continued to rhythmically stimulate her neck.

_"...is he asleep? How can he be sleeping during a situation like this?! Nhhh, why does he have to breath this close to my neck? I don't care anymore, I am going to tell him to turn around..."_

Pushing against the downy mattress, she quietly turned around as to not disturb the silence of the night. As she would wake Kirito anyway, her emphasis on stealth was pointless, yet Sinon's mind was already devoid of logic; partly due to lack of sleep and an unfamiliar heat that gathered in her abdomen.

Accomplishing her revolution without much noise, the young maiden belatedly realized that she had gravely miscalculated her distance. At a loss of what to do, she ceased all movement and prayed to all the gods she could recall, _"Please don't wake up!"_

_"... sweet ..."_, Kirito subconsciously noted instants before waking from his dream-like slumber.

It had taken him nearly two hours, but the fatigue which he had accumulated over the day finally overwhelmed him and was about to put him to sleep.

However, midway through the process of shutting out his senses, an overwhelming sensory response pulled Kirito's lethargic mind back into it's conscious state.

With his mind rebooting, he could vaguely make out something "sweet" on his lips. It was by far more candid than the famous cheesecakes on Aincrad's 35th floor, and several times more mellow than the well sought after desserts in the Sylph territory.

This addictive taste chased away the remnants of Kirito's lingering sleepiness and nourished his longing for more.

Desperate to identify the source of that "sweetness", he opened his eyes-

"Eh-"

"!?"

... and was greeted by peerless azure beauty.

Trapped in an infinite dye that stretched from the cyan sky to the ocean's deepest blue, Kirito did not immediately realize that he peered into Sinon's eyes.

Startled by Kirito's sudden action, her mind was in chaos.

_"AhhhhhH! He saw! I woke him up!? Nonononono, what if he thinks I am ...?! This is a misunderstanding! I need to apologize-"_

"...this isn't wha- (t you think)", Sinon attempted to explain, though the last half remained unspoken.

With her lips already placed on his, Sinon's apology inadvertently produced the opposite result. That is, by moving her mouth, the two pairs of lips that were previously only touching, were now actively engaged in something similar to a kiss.

"!"

Sinon's body reacted even more furiously this time. Starting from the top of her spine, a heated shudder reverberated through her body, extending even to the tips of her fingertips and toes. If she were in her Cait-Sith form right now, her tail and ears would be rigid by now.

Next to her, Kirito was equally frozen. Not only did he wake up to Sinon kissing him, but after witnessing her taking it even further, the gears in his head overheated and scrambled his mind.

Still, he somehow managed to pull away from the alluring temptation before he succumbed to it himself.

"Ah- I- I ... sorry for th-that!", he stuttered while assuming a sitting position.

Unfortunately/fortunately, his elevated posture now granted him a tempting view of Sinon's disheveled appearance. The loose sweater did little to cover up her petite cleavage and was just as inefficient in covering up her legs. Immediately averting his gaze to the side, Kirito rambled on.

"... S-sorry .. I should have slept on the floor! I m-mean you ..re a girl and everything, a-and ...", continuing on, his stammering filled the silence.

Meanwhile, Sinon was completely silent.

While clearly hearing Kirito's voice, none of that registered in her mind.

_"I ..."_

Moving up her right hand that was previously pressed on her chest, she was lost in thought.

_"My ..."_

Her slender index finger brushed against her pink lips, coming in contact with a faint dampness that was not her own.

_"... first kiss?"_

* * *

**Author's Note**

I know I am ending this on a very open note, but I did this to create a little window of opportunity to warn everyone of the mature contents that are going to be in the next chapter. Since I will include another warning at the beginning of the next chapter, this message is kinda irrelevant, but I guess it is better to put in the warning as early as possible. Anyway, needless to say, anyone underage or unwilling to read sexual contents, please skip "Act 1 - Prologue 5" of this story, which is essentially the next chapter. It WILL feature sexual intercourse, so if you are not ok with it, please proceed with caution.

The chapter won't contain any plot relevant developments, so there really is no reason to read it aside for… well… being a pervert I guess?


	6. Act 1: Prologue (END)

**Author's Note**

Hey there, this is ChristmasForJuan.

Just to give you guys a heads up, this chapter features sexual content. Yes. Sex. Kirito and Sinon are doing it. This chapter is useless in terms of plot and character development and only serves the single purpose of giving the pervert in me a voice. I don't think I can make this warning any more clear, but don't read this chapter if you are not fond of Mature Content.

Additionally, this lemon was mainly modeled after the style usually found in Visuals Novels and such to a keep a continuous "Anime/Manga-like Atmosphere" to fit in with the rest of the story, which means that this lemon isn't so much realistic as it is… well, Anime-like I guess? Putting this sort of sexual content into written form is bound to make things rather awkward, seeing how the visual medium is better suited for this particular purpose, but well, here I am going for it regardless.

You have been warned.

* * *

**3rd Month of the Human World Calendar, 379**

Asada Shino was never particularly interested in romance.

Her disinterest could have been the aftermath of her father's death or the traumatic incident in which she had claimed a life. She had been hurt by men multiple times in her life, emotionally and physically alike, so her disposition might have been a subconscious defensive mechanism?

Though she was never particularly prejudiced against the opposite gender, it just seemed natural for her to avoid growing close with the boys in her class, and as such, rarely ever had the opportunity to build up a romantic relationship.

That is of course, until she met a certain boy/girl in the popular VRMMORPG "Gun Gale Online".

Much like a hurricane, that particular annoyance wrecked havoc to her previously uneventful life and tore down the protective wall she had erected around her heart. Clichéd metaphors aside, it was the only way Sinon knew to express her displeasure at helplessly watching the inconsequential seed of affection root itself deep inside the most unprotected corner of her mind, eventually sprouting into something infinitely more irritating.

Sometimes she would catch herself repeatedly scrolling her friends list for a particular name, dedicate and unnecessary amount of attention towards her appearance, and most unforgiving of all, gleefully looked forward to the rare occasions when Kirito came to pick her up from school.

In conclusion: Asada Shino had fallen in love.

Yet, despite being aware of the cavernous extent of her cravings, she was not the type of girl to act upon them rashly … if ever.

That being the case, having unexpectedly been granted her most yearned for desire when she had least expected it created a fictitious sense of disbelief that made her doubt the legitimacy of this perfect moment.

Was this just another one of her dreams?

If so, then…

_"Why can I still feel his warmth?"_, Sinon wondered as her fingertips softly brushed against her damp lips.

Kirito's stammering persisted in the unyielding silence of the night, accompanying Sinon's whirling thoughts.

_".. my first? Did we really just kiss..?"_

Dazedly shifting her gaze to Kirito, said man's panic seemed only to worsen as he started to wave his arms around in an attempt to apologize for anything he might have done.

_"… then .. if this really is just dream .. I … can.."_, burning up in the heat of her own body, Sinon could no longer think straight.

In one swift action, Sinon took both of Kirito's waving hands into her own, pulled herself into his embrace, and deftly silenced her partner's stammering lips with her own.

It was too sudden for Kirito to react. His arms were pinned down and he had no choice but to submit himself to the tantalizing temptation that was delicately pressed against his lips.

It was in that very moment that any remaining shreds of doubt that might still have brought Sinon back to reason were utterly blown to bits by the rushing wave of euphoria that washed over her. To seek release for her rampaging emotions Sinon wanted to laugh, to cry, to run back to her apartment in Yushima so that she may do both.

Yet, unwilling to break away from the kiss, Sinon's fervid desire remained imprisoned within her body, seeking release through different means.

* * *

It happened too fast for Kirito to react.

Before he could slip his arms out of Sinon's hold, he had already been assaulted by her honey-glazed lips on his own.

Much like an intoxicating venom, Kirito could feel her scent clouding his judgment and numbing his limbs, rendering him increasingly inept to think about anything but her hair, her eyes, her skin…

Her modest dress had toyed with his restrain ever since she joined him by the campfire, and Kirito doubted he could hold himself back any longer if they were to continue.

If he wanted to stop what they were doing before they crossed the line, he would have to do it now.

Freeing his hands from her hold, Kirito placed his right hand on Sinon's shoulder in an effort to bring them apart.  
An effort that ended in failure.

"..Nhhhh~"

As soon as they came in contact, Sinon shivered at his unexpected touch and exhaled a heated sigh.

_"..hot…"_, Kirito noted; her skin burned like forged steel.

He was overcome by excitement and curiosity both, but his hand was stayed by hesitation. Much to Sinon's displeasure.

Growing impatient from her partner's inaction, and tortured by the want for release, she trapped Kirito's scruffy head between her arms and pulled him in to deepen their kiss.

Enthralled by Sinon's allure, Kirito followed her slow descent down to their bed. Using his unoccupied left to support himself while he leaned over Sinon's lean body, he was greeted by her hardened breast fitting itself snuggly into his palm, and mistaking it for a pillow, Kirito applied a slight amount or pressure on it in an attempt to readjust his position.

Sinon suddenly broke away from their kiss to gasp for air.

Her sudden whimper compelled Kirito to apologize for his abrupt mistake, though he was once again denied his voice by the wet embrace of Sinon's hungry kiss. Even though she was too close for Kirito to see, he could clearly feel her lips forming into an alluring smile.

* * *

Sinon was aware of the heated daze she was giving herself to, but after having suppressed her feelings time and time again, she was helpless to stop them after tasting the forbidden fruit of her endeavors.

Pulling herself up towards Kirito, Sinon locked him into a third kiss as she pressed herself against Kirito's body. Smiling gleefully at having caught Kirito off-guard, she proceeded to probe his lips with her tongue.

In response to her aggressive behavior Kirito let himself be guided by his own curiosity and began to explore Sinon's body.

Nudging against her tongue an caressing her heated mounds, Kirito took away her lead and pushed her back into the downy mattress, a change of pace which she begrudgingly noted.

Whenever she would try to fight back against the advances of his tongue in order to regain her dominance, Kirito would playfully pinch her hardened nipples and use his other hand to caress her elsewhere, eliciting sweet muffled moans that Sinon breathed into Kirito's mouth.

After a what felt like hours, Sinon breathlessly retreated from their kiss in order to regain her breath.

Looking down at her, Kirito was able to take in the entirety of her disheveled appearance.

Her legs, while stretched, were pressed together in an effort to spread out and cool the burning fire within. Her left hand, which was trapped between her legs, grabbed onto and pulled down the oversized sweater, as if trying to hide something from her partner, while her right arm was wrapped around Kirito's neck to support her. Her glassy eyes, framed by a mess of disheveled hair, brimmed with passion as they longingly pleaded for Kirito to continue.

However, just when Kirito dove in for another kiss, Sinon snuck past his attack and whispered into his ear instead.

"..no- not just … my other parts too~ …"

Kirito did not hesitate to place quick kisses on her nape, nipping her skin as he moved down towards her collarbone. His right hand also slipped underneath her clothes to slowly trace the contours of her body.

".. hah… nghh~ … ah!"

As Kirito planted his kisses like scorching hot insignias, Sinon had to bite on her own finger to muffle her ecstatic moans. Whenever she heaved her stomach to wriggle out of his grasp, Kirito's right hand would firmly caress her lower abdomen to keep her in place.

It was in that moment of carelessness, when the tension in Sinon's legs weakened, that Kirito exploited the opportunity to slip his fingers past her protective hand and brushed against her soaked opening.

".. aah!.. no- not there!.. ", Sinon cried out, an euphoric throbbing sensation dancing up her spine.

"… down there.. it's too much …."

However, rather than acting on her words and pushing herself away, Sinon wrapped her other arm around Kirito and desperately pulled herself in closer. He could clearly feel her firm nipples rub themselves against himself to quench her thirst for pleasure, while her legs trapped his hand by vigorously squeezing down on it.

".. i-if you do it down there … it will feel too good.. nhh~ …"

In contrast to her feverish denial, Sinon couldn't afford to wait any longer for her partner and started to rub her legs together, pleasuring herself by using his hand to satisfy the ever-throbbing heat.

Taking notice of her feverish expression, Kirito momentarily considered to tease her by denying her release for just a little while longer, but immediately decided against it. He himself was at his limit.

Trapping Sinon's body between his own and the bed, Kirito repeatedly caressed her damp mounds and stiffened clitoris, while pulling her in a passionate kiss to draw out any of her otherwise stifled moans.

".. aahn~ … Kirito.. if you continue- haaah~ .. any more and … .. nngh!"

As she neared her climax, Kirito could feel her become slick with wetness. Curious as to what it might be like inside, Kirito inserted his middle finger, only to be greeted by unexpected moistness and heat. Even though he could feel Sinon twitching and throbbing all over her body, none of it could compare to the ecstatic movement of her quivering walls. Filling out the tight space by inserting his index and ring finger as well, Kirito plunged further into Sinon's depth to satisfy his own curiosity.

By doing so, he accidentally triggered his partner's climax.

Tightly clenching the bedsheets as if afraid of losing herself in pleasure, Sinon arched her back and legs fervently, taking in Kirito's fingers as deep as she dared, while her convulsing walls violently clutched down to deny them any chance of escape.

In that burst of ecstasy Sinon had bitten down on her lower lip to muffle her breathless scream, embarrassed of exposing this side of her to her partner. However, by further spreading his fingers inside Sinon while she was in the midst of her climax, Sinon was unable keep her voice down any longer and loudly moaned into the silence of the night for the full duration of her orgasm.

".. ha .. ha … haa.. ah~", Sinon breathed heavily as she plopped down onto the bed, her fluids drenching the bedsheets below her.

Sinon's sweet smell permeated throughout the room, accompanied by the rhythm of her short, irregular breathing that seemed synchronized with her trembling body.

Lowering himself down next to her, Kirito pulled her gently into his chest and listened as her heartbeat regained a steady, if not elevated, pace.

".. you are still excited too … right here?", Sinon suddenly flirtatiously whispered as she reached for his bulge.

Grabbing his shirt with her other hand, Sinon pulled him aside and rolled over.

".. uwahh?" Kirito exclaimed in surprise as a result of Sinon promptly straddling him beneath her legs.

Silently hummed as she lay down her body onto his, Sinon seemed to relish in her show of dominance. While Sinon's behavior had always been feline-like, her character traits usually compared to those of a fierce bobcat during hunt. However, her behavior at this moment was nothing like the cold-hearted sniper Sinon, nor the ordinary high-school girl Asada Shino. Instead, even though he would never dare say it out loud, Kirito likened the current Sinon to a predatory wildcat in heat.

"… this is to .. return the favor …", Sinon purred as she positioned Kirito at her entrance, pulling him out of his train of thought.

Lowering her hips before he could react, Sinon took in his entirety in a single stroke.

"N-.. ngahhhh~!", Sinon made no attempt to hold back a deep moan as she lustily gyrated her hips to draw out the most pleasure through her actions.

The resulting sensory overload was inexplicable.

As if having set her backbone on fire, each and every synapse in Sinon's body seemed to function pasts their limits as she felt everything yet nothing at the same time. While her body throbbed with excitement and energy, she also felt as if enveloped in a numbing silk.

Unable to describe her current state with words alone, Sinon merely focused on clumsily speeding up her movements until she could feel Kirito's tingling fingers dance across her arched back.

".. kyaa~ .. ahhh-hhn… nghh~ .."

Sinon's walls clenched down tighter on Kirito's member, barely allowing for movement in her already tight opening. Craving for more, she pressed herself even more fervently against Kirito, allowing herself to be pampered by him like a little kitten.

".. ahH!.. soon.. nghhh~ … any m-more and I'll come.. ahhn~"

Responding to her aroused body and pleading moans, Kirito allowed himself to trickle his hands down her sinuous body, firmly placing his hands on her hips and thrusting upwards from below.

With a final electrical sensation pulsing through her body, Sinon violently convulsed onto Kirito's member and drew out his own climax. Entangling her legs with his, Sinon took him in as deep as possible, completely filling herself with the man she loved and accepting every drop of his semen.

For what felt like an eternity, Sinon mind was blank aside from happiness and pleasure; her entire world shrunk down to herself and the man she loved. Relishing the moment, Kirito took the delicate, yet surprisingly light body of his loved one into his arms as she exhaustedly collapsed on his chest.

Mistaking the quiet rhythmical breath for sleep, Kirito jokingly muttered, ".. ready to go again?..", before closing his eyes and drifting off into a drowsy nap…

…until-

"Uwaah?!", Kirito felt a sharp prickling sensation near his right earlobe.

Upon opening his eyes, he was greeted with the bewitching sight of Sinon mischievously licking her lips.

".. did you just bite-?"

"Ready to go again?", Sinon interrupted, donning a joyful smile.

* * *

.

..

…

"..mmmhh~?"

Awoken by the gentle tickle of sunlight on her nose, Sinon gave of a heartfelt moan as she lazily stretched out her limbs to wake her refreshed body. Surprised by the idle arm hugging her waist from behind, she recalled the events from last night, causing her to momentarily cease her movements in a fit of embarrassment.

Cautiously turning her flushed face to check whether or not Kirito was still sleeping, Sinon was greeted by his serene sleeping facial expression.

".. in that case…"

Taking advantage of this rare chance, Sinon snuggled up to her her partner's warm body, tempted to close her eyes once more and drift into a lazy nap.

However, bothered by the sunlight once again, Sinon negligently scanned the room for it's source, only to be greeted by the figure of an unfamiliar old man standing at the threshold of the open doorway.

"..eh?"

"…?"

Similarly surprised by the unexpected presence of either party, both sides simply stared at each other in shock while Kirito continued his undisturbed sleep.

**ACT 1: Prologue**

**END**


	7. Interlude (2)

**Author's Notes**

Hey everybody, this is ChristmasForJuan ^^

Hopefully that last lemon didn't scare anyone off, but believe it or not, this whole story was supposed to be just that dirty little scene in the beginning o . O

Yet, since I was stupid enough to think of a backstory ... well ... this somehow just happened xD

Anyway, with the prologue now over, the story is finally starting to move along. I apologize for slow and agonizing chapters, as well as the grammar mistakes along the way. I am but an amateur writer, and a lazy one at that, so humbly beg for your forgiveness xP

In any case, time for the second Interlude!

* * *

**3rd Month of the Human World Calendar, 379**

"…"

"… …"

"… … …"

"Just admit it Kirito, you are lost, aren't you?"

"No I'm not! Here. It's this way for sure!", replied Kirito as he dragged his reluctant childhood friend behind him.

They had just finished with the admission procedure of the Imperial Master Sword Academy, and were notified that the entrance ceremony for all the applicants would be held at a later hour. Since they had a little bit of time to spare before that, Kirito and Eugeo decided it would be best to deliver "it" while they still weren't tied down by their academic duties.

Firmly holding "it" in his right hand, Kirito confidently strode through a random series of side streets and alleyways in hope of finding a certain workshop.

"Kirito, I'm telling you we should just ask someone for directions…"

"No, it's fine. I memorized what the lady at that marketplace told us just fine. We'll probably be there soon if we take a right here."

"That doesn't sound like you memorized it at all!"

"Fine. Let's just ask the next person we meet."

"… We haven't even seen a single soul in the past few minutes."

"See, that just means we need to keep moving forward!"

Exhaling a desperate sigh, Eugeo prayed to the Goddess Stacia that they'll make it back to the academy before sundown.

"In any case", Eugeo asked, "are you sure that craftsman will be able to make a sword out of that branch?"

"Are you talking about Sadre?"

"How come you can instantly remember a name that you only heard once nearly a year ago, but you can't remember clear directions that you heard just recently?", Eugeo silently contemplated in his mind.

In response to the complicated smile Eugeo was displaying, Kirito inquired, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. But yes, I don't mean to doubt the skill of a Centorian handicraftsman, yet… After all the effort we had to go through to get this branch, do you think it will be possible to turn this into a sword? Much less a sword that will rival the Blue Rose Sword?"

"Hmmm… maybe? We carried it all the way here, so we might as well just give it a shot. Plus, I feel bad for you having to share your sword with someone else."

"Huh? I told you not to worry about that. What's mine is yours. In the first place, I would have never become it's wielder if it weren't for you."

"Still, in Aincrad this would have never been- … Nevrmind. Anyway, even if it doesn't work out, at least we would have tried right?", Kirito cheerfully declared with a fake smile.

It would have been too farfetched to call it a premonition, yet ever since Kirito used Eugeo's Blue Rose Sword to separate the sturdy branch in his right hand from the massive Gigas Cedar, he was tempted to dispose of it on multiple occasions for no other reason but that he was afraid. Not afraid of the branch itself, but of what it would one day be used for.

However absurd this impulse was, Kirito could not shake off this feeling of unease even now, greatly surprised that he had not secretly disposed of the branch during their travels. For that reason, while he greatly desired a blade he could call his own, he also secretly wished for the Gigas Cedar branch to best the craftsman's skill.

Mistaking Kirito's haste for his usual vigor, his partner thought nothing of his unusual eagerness to be rid of the branch. Crossing his arms behind his flaxen hair, Eugeo relaxedly glanced upwards towards the sky.

"I guess you are right. We did promise Garitta to deliver it too, so there is no harm in trying."

"Speaking of … Eugeo, don't you think it is dangerous for Garitta to be living in that cottage all by himself? Even though he said he enjoyed living near the woods, I think that building his home up on that hill is going a little to far!"

"You worry too much Kirito. I told you that he is still very healthy for his age. Until not too long ago, he used to be able to beat me in sword fighting", Eugeo admitted bashfully.

"Ooooh…. Maybe I should have taken him as a pupil instead…"

"Kirito, don't joke around like that."

"What do you mean? I was being serious."

Earning himself a hearty punch with his teasing remarks, the laughing teens continued their longwinded journey through the (actually not so) complicated streets of Centoria.

* * *

**April 11, 2026**

Upon hearing a soft knock on the wooden office door, Higa and Kikuoka set aside their fruitless discussion and looked to the door.

"Come in."

Hastily entering the modest room, the scientist didn't bother about neither formalities nor manners and skipped straight to the findings of his research.

"It is just as you had predicted Higa-san. By giving the Quantum Operation Circuit too much free reign over the operation of the STL, it seems that we merely amplified the "Ghost Phenomenon", instead of defeating it altogether. With the absence of artificial limiters- no, by removing them in the first place, it was just a matter of time before something like this happened. It had never been a problem of the fluctuation power supply at all."

Interested in a key phrase, he did not understand, Kikuoka inquired, "What do you mean by "Ghost"?"

Hesitant to talk about classified material, the young scientist looked to Higa for a sign of visual confirmation, who, instead of a nod, turned to Kikuoka himself.

"What he means by "Ghost Phenomenon" is closely tied to Kayaba-kun's present he left behind for us."

"That is the "Quantum Computer" right?"

"Right. As you already know, the "Quantum Computer" is the heart of the STL, and the foundation of the Light Cube. However, before we made it the near autonomous program it is now, we placed several limiters on it's calculating power, which obviously resulted in performance issues. However, the reason we placed those limiters on it in the first place, was because of he appearance of … shadows. Humanoid looking ones at that."

"But couldn't that be-"

"Naturally we checked the program for bugs, and reviewed the data log, but no trace of that humanoid shadow could be found. Hence it is called the "Ghost Phenomenon". Of course, this name isn't really scientific, but neither is the appearance of that thing."

"But how is that related to Kirito-kun's and Asada-san's incident?"

"…"

This time even Higa himself briefly paused, thinking of how to explain a theory equally as absurd as the Ghost Phenomenon.

"Say, Kikuoka-kun, do you believe in Parallel Universes?"

"… you cant be serious."

"I am afraid I am. As of this moment, the only operational STL machines in the world, are the ones Kirigaya and Asada are currently connected to. Despite that, they are currently transmitting to what we can only believe to be a third Machine. I already phoned back to HQ, but they said that the remaining machines were still on standby, meaning that it is impossible for there to be a Quantum Computer left to interact with ours. At least not in our world. Plus …"

Facing Kikuoka's shocked and confused expression with his own serious attitude, Higa continued.

"The signature of the signal our Quantum Computers are receiving is identical to that of Kirigaya's machine. As you know, each of our Quantum Circuits has it's own signature, primarily for the sake of differentiating them in the case all of them are operational at once. However, even though each signature is unique, the signal that interfered with our machines is… more than a copy, it is as if it were Kirigaya's machine itself."

"Which made you believe that it could be the same machine you developed, only in a different universe."

"Precisely. Yet, at this point, it is only a theory. It is also possible for the two machines to be mirroring each other, effectively looping the transmission back and forth between themselves, making it seem as if there is a third, but that would fail to explain the intensity of Kirigaya's machine's transmission, as well as why this phenomenon never occurred during the previous dives. In any case, nothing can be said for certain at this point of time."

"Can that be said for their mental condition as well?"

Collectively looking at the scientist who had just been quietly standing next to them, Higa directed Kikuoka's question towards him.

"The condition of both subjects is stable. While we are still unsure of the extent of the damage to Kirigaya's long term memory, we concluded it to be only temporary. However, while both subjects seem to be diving normally, we are unable to cancel the acceleration process, and therefore, are unable to eject them from the Underworld. Should we contact their relatives for the time being?"

"Hmmm… after all, we still don't know how long it will take for us to eject them. Kikuoka?"

"Kirito-kun should have warned his family about the possibility that this "part-time job" might take up the entire weekend, just like I told him to, and Asada-san does not have any immediate relatives to worry about for now. If anything…"

"Why? Is there a problem?"

"Ah no. It's fine it's fine. Please excuse me, I need to make a phone call."

Waving his hands in a childish manner, Kikuoka politely excused himself as he left the room.

Briskly walking down the hallway, Kikuoka swiftly pulled out his telephone and selected a familiar name in his address book.

..

….

..

After three rings, the phone was picked up by the person on the other end.

"Ah yes, are you free right now Asuna-san?"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

That is all I have for today.

Stay tuned for the second Act. After all, an entertaining fight scene is long overdue ^^

... swords versus bullets ... I feel bad for Sinon's opponent already -.-


	8. Act 2: The Human Realm's Shield (1)

**Author's Note**

Hello everybody, this is ChristmasForJuan.

With the second Act up and running, and after having getting more and more request, I feel like I should just say it right here.  
For anyone who wants to read the translated Light Novels of SAO, I downloaded them before they were licensed by Yen Press and taken down from Baka-Tsuki. So if you guys feel like reading the novels just write me xD

Anyway, time for the start of the new arc.

* * *

**3rd Month of the Human World Calendar, 379**

Underworld. A virtual testing ground that aimed to reshape infant consciousnesses into systematic killers; a world that existed only to ensure the survival of "real" soldiers by sacrificing the virtual minds cultivated from the mnemonic data obtained from newborn babies.

Whether or not Underworld was build upon hypocrisy and selfish goals was irrelevant when compared to the possibility of reducing predicted casualties of armed warfare to single digits.

Was it inhumane, barbaric, wicked even? No. After all, a product of man's creation could be nothing other but inferior to man. How could the lives of Underworld's inhabitants be of any value, when a single button could birth hundreds, even thousands of them. Merely electrical impulses housed in a body of metal, their value hardly amounted to the finances that were poured into this project.

However, even among the sea of cattle, there were bound to be few exceptions. In a remote wooden cottage near the modest village of Rulid, two of such exceptions were currently thrown into yet another precarious situation.

That is, if witnessing an unknown old man walk in on you and your partner sleeping together (naked) in what was, most definitely, his bed qualified to be a "precarious situation".

".."

"… ?"

Silently gaping each other in what could probably rate as the most awkward staring contest in fictional modern history, neither of them were unable to talk or move for the duration of time it took their consciousnesses to kickstart back into motion.

"… I will tend to the vegetables outside …", the old man stated in a surprisingly composed voice, as he hurriedly shut the door behind him.

"… right …", whispered Sinon.

Even though she clearly understood what had just happened, the ridiculous and sudden nature of said event left her in a relatively calm, albeit slightly shocked and embarrassed state.

First things first, Sinon immediately checked the state of her body, and was relieved to find a thin but wide blanket spread over most of it, merely revealing the tip of her sharp shoulders and ankles. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Kirito.

While he embraced Sinon from behind in an affectionate gesture (which she undoubtedly highly appreciated), it seemed as if Sinon had unknowingly taken possession of over two thirds of the blanket's area in her sleep, effectively (shamelessly?) revealing a large portion of Kirito's butt.

Without a doubt, this situation was one which allowed for nothing but shame and humiliation to heat up Sinon's ears in a healthy blush, and while the foreign sense of unfamiliarity and confusion of finding herself in an unexplored world had not completely vanished yet, it was the exaggerated absurdity of the situation that tickled a genuine heartfelt fit of laughter out of her erratic lungs, loud enough to overwhelm the surrounding forest's morning melody.

Awoken by his partner's quivering body and ringing laughter, Kirito was greeted by a near dream-like view of Sinon's firm naked body jolting back and forth in what could only be an intense laughing fit. While her left hand managed to keep a large portion of the blanket at chest level to protect her inner maiden's modesty, it would be only a matter of time before her stifled giggles made her lose control of her left arm as well. As if that was bad enough, the mere sight of Kirito's clueless expression only worsened the situation by bringing tears to her eyes.

Any questioning attempts by Kirito miserably failed despite Sinon's best efforts to answer him, and it was not too long until Kirito succumbed to her enchanting curse as well.

* * *

"So what point is there in me turning around again?", asked Kirito, his disappointment clearly lacing his complaint.

Sitting opposite him, firmly wrapped in a blanket, Sinon's cheeks still retained a pinkish hint, partially as a remnant of her previous laughing fit, yet mostly due to the fact that there was nothing but a blanket obstructing Kirito's vision of her bare body.

"I'm telling you, I might not act like one in GGO, but I am a girl. Of course I would be embarrassed to change while you are looking!"

"Then what about me?"

Pointing at the single pillow on his waist, the logic behind the unfortunate swordsman's complaint was obvious. Yet…

"You are a guy, it should be fine. Plus … I already saw …"

"In that case, I also-"

"I told you, it's different! I will give you the blanket after I am done, so just look away until I put on my underwear at least. This world doesn't have an equipment menu, so I need to put them on myself."

Feeling like he was on the short end of the deal, Kirito was not without shame either, especially when there was just a single pillow he could use as a shield against her curious glances. In a half-hearted attempt of retaliation, he jokingly teased, "Wait so it is alright for me to see you in your underwear?"

Expecting an angry retort, Kirito prepared himself for the bobcat's wrath, but was instead greeted with an unexpected reaction.

Her pink blush deepening into a more vivid shade of red, Sinon hesitantly opened her mouth for a reply, stopped midway, and averted eye contact by lowering her gaze.

The unspoken answer was obvious.

"… are you … so it is alright?"

"Geez, just turn around already!"

Squeezing Kirito's cheeks in between the palms of her two outstretched hands, Sinon forcibly yet gently turned Kirito's face against the wall, prompting his body to follow along.

"Just stay like this for a minute."

_"__That is impossible!"_, he screamed in his thoughts, as the audible sound of fabric brushing against soft skin assaulted his ears.

In an effort to protect his waning willpower, Kirito decided to inquire about the event that woke him up in the first place.

"So Sinon …"

"Hmmm?"

"Why were you laughing that loudly in the morning?"

"Ah, there was this old man that walked in through the front door when I woke up and-"

"Wait what?!", Kirito yelled loudly while turning his head towards Sinon for affirmation.

However, he immediately reversed that movement after catching her in the act of light-footedly slipping on her panties. Whether he was glad or regretful about the fact that she had her back turned towards him would be a topic he would entertain at a later time.

Awkwardly clearing his throat, Kirito repeated himself in a more composed manner.

"So do you have any idea who he was?"

"Obviously I have never seen him before but," spreading out the blanket midair with a flick of her wrist, Sinon letting it float down onto Kirito in a playful attempt to cover his unclothed body, "if you get dressed quickly we can go out and ask him together."

Pulling the cloth off his head and donning it like a mantle instead, Kirito turned around to see Sinon in her usual military gear.

Noticing his complicated expression, Sinon asked, "Is something the matter?"

"Ahh no, it's just that I was secretly hoping to see you dressed like yesterday again."

"What are you talking about? Those might have been his clothes. Never mind that, we should probably apologize for wearing them in the first place."

"So is that a no?"

"… just get dressed."

Satisfied with her answer, Kirito swiftly jumped off the bed and proceed to get changed into his usual black colored gear. Even though his shirt had a gaping hole going all the way from his left shoulder to the area near his bellybutton, he managed to cover it up by tightening the buckle on his long-coat, which had a similarly damaged left sleeve.

Through the holes one could see white bandages, placed there by Sinon the previous night when she cleaned and dressed his wounds. Fortunately, there was no red stain to be seen yet, but it was clear that Kirito's injury would undoubtedly reopen if he were to fight another battle.

Deciding against bringing their weapons along, the two left the cottage, immediately greeted by the mellow rays of the morning sun. Not too far away from the home, in the direction of the small village the pair had spotted the day before, the old man silently took in the view.

Slowly and hesitantly approaching him, Kirito and Sinon had no choice but to apologize for breaking into his house and taking his clothes. Believing it to be abandoned at first, they had no excuse to offer to the offended party.

"Ahh .. w-we", Kirito stuttered at the height of his nervousness.

"We are terribly sorry!"

"We are terribly sorry!"

Bowing as deeply as they possibly could, the couple could do nothing but pray for the elderly man's forgiveness.

"I-I don't know how much it is worth, but we have this large pouch of gold we got from those gobl- … I mean, that we found…"

"What he is trying to say, is that we are willing to repay you for any supplies that we have used and … the b-bed … we are willing to buy you a new bed!"

"A-and the clothes too! We can buy you new clothes too so…"

Going back and forth between themselves, and making little sense as they did, Kirito and Sinon continued on for around five minutes until the unfamiliar man finally turned around.

Unexpectedly, his expression wan't stern or angry in the least, but instead was radiating compassion and relief. Taken aback by this unforeseen turn of events, Kirito and Sinon tilted their heads in confusion.

"It seems as if the God of Darkness Vector really has taken a liking to you Kirito. Though it worries me what might have happened to Eugeo, I am happy that you at least found yourself back home, be it willingly or not. And as it seems you even brought a new friend of yours along. What is your name?"

"I am Sinon…?"

"Nice to meet you Sinon, I am Garitta. Now then, you must be hungry. I have some fresh tomatoes in the back if you want."

Still unsure how to respond, Kirito and Sinon exchanges glances before inquiring any further.

"You … aren't mad?"

"Why should I be? On the contrary, I am relieved that you found yourself back home after falling victim to 'Vector's Prank' again."

"… 'Vector's Prank' .. Home?"

"Why don't you help me harvest some tomatoes for breakfast, and I'll explain everything on the way?"

With their stomachs growling in unison, the puzzled pair were in no position to deny the kind man's offer and hurriedly followed his lively pace after nodding in the affirmative.

During the simple breakfast that consisted of chewy bread, quite similar to the cheap loafs one could by in the starting city of Aincrad, freshly harvested tomatoes, cheese, and exceptional ambrosial water fetched from the riverside, the man called Garitta told his guests all about the history of the World, including the tales of the 4 gods, and the bridge that connected them to the human realm, the Holy Axiom Church. After clearing up any questions on this world's history and mythology, he proceeded to tell Kirito how he had lived in Rulid village around one year ago, before leaving for Zakkaria to become swordsmen.

Yet, even when firmly insisting that there must have been some sort of mistake, and that Kirito could not possibly have lived in Rulid village or have met that boy named Eugeo, Garitta merely wrote it off to be one of "Vector's Pranks" and that his memory would return eventually.

It was only when the sun, or solus as the people in this world called it, glared down at them from the center of the sky that they finally started to wrap things up.

"That being the case, I have a favor to ask of you two."

"Well, we still haven't thanked you for breakfast yet, so we'd be glad to make ourselves useful."

"To be honest, now that you have fallen victim to Vector's ill will again, it is very likely that something may have befallen Eugeo as well. I know you do not remember him right now, but you two were truly inseparable in the past. It worries me that he is alone right now, especially with the rumors about the northern cave spreading…"

"What do you mean by rumors?"

"Not too long ago Jink traveled to the northern cave on his rest day, much like how Eugeo would sneak of early morning once a week, most likely to find a sword as strong as Eugeo's 'Blue Rose Sword'. After all, he never forgot the humiliation he had to taste when Eugeo defeated him in front of the entire village. Regardless, the very same day he returned out of breath and completely exhausted, telling everyone about a massive group of goblins hiding inside the cave. Of course we didn't believe him at first, but decided to send the village guard to search the cave for themselves. In the en all they found was ice. What unsettles me though, is that recently there have been many tracks found in the woods that are too large to belong to any of the animals around here."

"So you are saying that Jink might have been right after all…", Kirito nonchalantly replied while casually wiping away the multiple beads of sweat that formed on his forehead.

While there was no reason to keep their fight with he goblins a secret, they were too far into the conversation to bring it up now. Additionally, according to what Garitta told them about the swordsmanship taught in this world, it seemed unlikely that any guards or even knights have ever had any proper fighting experience. Therefore, it might be too much to tell him that they had single handily slaughtered 3 squadrons worth of goblins with little to no casualties. Glancing at Sinon's frowning expression, Kirito could tell that she was against keeping any secret to the man who extended a helping hand towards them, but also understood that it would be easier for them to keep it a secret for the meantime.

After all, despite that fact that they had "only" harmed goblins, Sinon felt a strange sense of remorse lingering in a far corner of her mind. She kept telling herself that they were only programs, created for the sake of being destroyed by players to farm resources and experience, but that alone was insufficient to combat the ghastly presence of guilt in her heart. In other words, by telling the old man that they had killed tens of goblins, she felt as if she admitted to consciously murdering, not programs, but living beings. Therefore, she reluctantly agreed to keep their recent feat a secret.

Replying to Kirito's statement, Garitta continued the conversation.

"While I do not want to admit it, yes I do. Eugeo has always been drawn to that cave ever since Alice was taken all those years ago, and I fear that he might seek it out yet again if he too were a victim of 'Vector's Prank'. Of course we don't know if Vector managed to curse him too, or if he is still under the protection of the Axiom Church in Centoria, but nevertheless I want you to see the cave for yourself. Even if you do not find Eugeo, that cave might be able to aid your memories."

Having filled his stomach and resting for an ample amount of time, Kirito was easily excited by the quest-like scenario and quickly stood up from his relaxed seating posture to show off his eagerness.

"Don't worry about us! We'll be back by nightfall. A scouting quest like that is a piece of cake!"

"What do you mean by scouting quest? Never mind that, are you not heavily injured? My request can wait until you have had time to properly heal up."

In response to the old man's worried remark, this time it was Sinon to join in on the conversation. Contrary to Kirito's liveliness, Sinon's tone seemed to be of one who had already given up on changing her partner's habits.

"There is no use stopping him now. Once he gets excited about something he hardly calms down until he is satisfied. Also …", silently shifting her weight from one left to the other, she looked to the side as she stated, "… I am going to take care of him if he ever gets into trouble."

"Then it is decided! With the 'Hecate' as my support there is nothing to fear-"

"Support eh? Not only did I save your life, but after taking down all these goblin's together I am still 'only' your 'support', is that so?", Sinon harshly interrupted with a slightly annoyed mask.

However, after noticing Kirito's regretful face, she could not stop the soft chuckle that escaped her lips. Feeling her cheeks heat up as she turned her body towards Kirito, she stated, "I told you, we're partners. The moment you treat me as your 'support' again, will be the moment I'll shoot fire arrows up your nostrils."

"Alright, I understand Shino-chan."

"Wha-?!"

Her face now visibly reddening in a matter of seconds, one could almost see steam surrounding her tomato colored expression.

"D-don't call me that either!"

"Why though? Isn't Shino really similar to Sinon anyway?"

"It's not the same!"

While relatively confused by the wide array of unknown terminology used by the couple in from of him, Garitta decided to leave them alone for the time being while sipping from his hand-crafted wooden cup.

* * *

After retrieving their weapons from the cottage, Kirito and Sinon began they hike north, following the serpent movements of the rejuvenating river to their left. While they were gone, Garitta promised them to buy a new set of clothes with their money to replace the tattered equipment they were currently using. Along with clothes, he also promised them a hearty dinner to look forward to, adding to Kirito's excitement and upbeat mood as he swiftly strode upstream. Next to him, Sinon seemed to share his enthusiasm, but tried not to show it as much.

After a good 2 hours or so of walking and lighthearted conversation, Sinon asked, "Speaking of which, Garitta told us about those Status- no, 'Stacia Windows' right?"

"Yup, they show you the HP of any objects you touch, right?"

"Exactly. Before we left I actually tried it out on myself and some objects I could find in the kitchen, but it seems that they are completely different from any status windows that we are used to."

"They only show you those 'Object' and 'System Control Authority' stats, right?"

"Oh? You knew?"

"Hehehe, I couldn't help but try it on everything I saw while you weren't looking."

"I should have known… In any case, even though we obviously can't use simple windows like those to log out, I don't understand why. I know that it wasn't planned that we were thrown into his world, but this is obviously something created by Higa-san and Kikuoka-san. It doesn't seem to be a game, but even if this is simply a simulator program, don't you think it is weird for it not to have a logout button?"

"You are right. Immediate logout access was a given ever since the first generation arcade full-dive models. Though… I read in an article once that the logout button didn't exist in the testing phases, and you had to logout at system consoles instead, which acted much like a save point in retro games. Even though logout consoles were immediately scrapped during commercial release due to the fact that it would require too much time to find those consoles in-game, it was common to implement them as a second logout option regardless. Now that I think about it, even Aincrad used to let you use the the teleporting crystals on each floor as logout consoles during the beta phase."

"Well, it makes sense for them to put them into the game in case the logout button option in the menu was ever bugged or disappear altogether…"

Upon realizing that her statement may have been offensive to a survivor of the two year long death-game, Sinon immediately apologized.

"Ah! Sorry, I didn't meant to…"

"Don't worry about it, I don't mind. In any case, what you are implying, is that system consoles for remote logout access should still exist even in this world, right?"

"Yes. Even though I don't know what the researchers on the other side would use this world for, they should still visit it regularly at the very least. And since the inhabitants of this world are well aware of the 'Stacia Window' it only makes sense that they would hide the logout button in the status windows, along with any other information you usually get in GGO or ALO."

"Meaning that the only other way of logging out…"

"… would be with a system console, exactly."

"Then the next problem would be: 'Where to find that console'."

"Hmmm… if what Garitta says, is right, then this world has a radius of 5 kilometers, which is enormous, even when compared to Aincrad."

"Meaning that there should be multiple system consoles spread throughout the country."

"However, we have no idea where they might be, which puts us back to square one."

Sharing their mutual frustration, Kirito and Sinon pondered for a little while before continuing their conversation; a hazy image of a cave barely visible in the distance.

"Well, but even if we do not know about the location of all the individual consoles, we know the one for sure.", Kirito stated, much to Sinon's surprise.

"Really? How?"

"Well, if anything, the most likely place I would place a system console would be at the center of the world."

"You don't mean…"

"Yes I do. The Axiom Church at the center of the world. All we need to do is travel to Centoria and go to the Axiom Church!"

"I guess but … is it really going to be that easy?"

"Why wouldn't it be? It's just a church, isn't it?"

"That's true, but think about what Garitta told us about the 'Taboo Index'. It seems as if the Axiom Church is less like an actual church, but more like the ruling governing force in this world."

"In that case, isn't it fine if we just find one of those Integrity Knights and talk to them? If the Axiom Church is the government, then they should be something like the Police officers. Therefore, if we just find one of them and tell them we only want to look inside, it should be fine, right?"

"… maybe. Judging by how much they are loved, the Axiom Church doesn't seem to be evil or anything, but…"

"Then it is decided! Now we only need to find an Integrity Knig- …", Kirito started, but stopped mid sentence as he stared at the sky, mouth agape with disbelief.

Completely blocking out the sun with it's massive body, a colossal dragon could be seen approaching them from the south-east. Running would be too late at this point, as the cave was still a few hundred meters away from them. Out in the open with not a single brush to use for cover, Kirito and Sinon would be completely helpless if it were to attack them.

However, instead of diving in for the kill, the dragon merely circled around them three times, before gracefully landing between them and the northern cave. It was only now that he got a close look, that Kirito noticed what a beautiful creature it was.

In contrast to the savage beasts they were portrayed as in games and movies, this divine creature possesed nimble yet muscular limbs, and a particularly long neck which was in constant movement. Much like ripples on water's surface, the saying motion of it's neck traveled throughout it's entire body, only ceasing at the very tip of it's sharp elongated tail. It's smooth body was covered in silvery scales that glistered in the sunlight. Combining the flexibly moving body and the shining scales, this dragon seemed to be the personification of the ebb and flow of the sea.

Had he not seen Sinon's unclothed grace the previous night, Kirito would have believed the dragon before him to be the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Suddenly, as if waiting for a chance to reveal himself, a giant knightly figure unseated himself from the saddle fastened on the dragon's back and effortlessly jumped off, slightly sinking into the ground due to the tremendous weight of his armor.

His entire body was covered in extravagant metal plating, not even revealing a single gap between the numerous armor pieces. Nevertheless, the most impressive part about his appearance was the nearly 2 meter tall rectangular shield that he wore on his back. The sheer weight of that iron wall must have been impossible to lift, but despite appearing slightly sluggish and slow, the medieval tank seemed to shoulder it with little effort. As if that was not enough to display his strength, the towering figure also had a brutish broadsword strapped to his right waist, large enough to be classified as a two handed great-sword. However, judging by his appearance, it would not be too far fetched to assume that he was able to wield the sword and shield at the same time.

Echoing through the thick visor of his helmet, the deep baritone voice of that monstrous man vibrated in Kirito's ears.

"I am an Integrity Knight of the Holy Axiom Church, Barbossa Synthesis Five."

Before Kirito could slip in a cheeky comment about how easy it was to find an Integrity Knight and having him escort them to the System Console, he was interrupted by the scraping sound of metal against metal, as the moving fortress unsheathed his weapon and fastened his shield on his right arm.

"By authority of the Holy Axiom Church, I shall arrest you two for interrogation by the Esteemed Administrator herself … followed by your execution for treason against the Human Realm."


	9. Act 2: The Human Realm's Shield (2)

**Author's Notes**

Hey guys, this is ChristmasForJuan.

Before I start this chapter, I want to (once again) put up a Spoiler Warning, since I will now start to cover content further into the Alicization Arc. To be fair, if you've read this much of this story already, I don't think you have much to worry about, but I guess I just wanted to drop the Spoiler Warning once again, since I am technically using content featured not only in SAO but also in "Accel World", another work by Reki Kawahara.

What I am referring to is the "Incarnate System", as system that allows the user's imagination to have an effect on the virtually constructed world around them. As the methodology, use, and function of the "Incarnate System" of both works is identical, I simply borrowed the term from SAO's sister-series (can you call it that?) to make things easier for myself. Hope you don't mind.

And also, before I forget, I started using more and more sword skills of my own creation, since I have become more and more familiar with writing about them, and have therefore taken the liberty of creating them myself. It should be pretty obvious which ones are my creation, as they tend to be incredibly fancy and over the top, but I hope that won't bother you too. Please tell me if I should stop making up sword skills (like I have in my Kirito vs. Yuuki one-shot before), since they might start getting way out of proportion after a while. xD

In any case, here's the chapter.

* * *

**3rd Month of the Human World Calendar, 379**

The Holy Axiom Church.

Originally a mere temple erected for the worship of the 4 gods and their blessings, the Axiom Church had become the absolute governing force of the Human Realm. Marking the center of the world, the sky-piercing structure separated the 4 kingdoms equally by standing at the crossing of the 4 immortal walls that extended all the way to the mountain range at the edge.

However, the holy tower was far more than a symbolic monument of the gods. Residing in the topmost floor, the Esteemed Administrator acted as the messenger of the gods as well as ruler of mankind. Her word was the word of the gods. Her word was law. Her word was truth.

Her omnipotent sight observed all of mankind equally and fairly, constantly seeking out sinners hiding under Solus' blessing. If one were to reveal himself to her, the esteemed prophet would send out her divine knights to bring the sinners to her so that she might cleanse them of their evil and return them to Stacia. After all, the champions of justice under her command, the "Integrity Knights", were summoned to this mortal world for a single reason; to vanquish evil and cleanse the world of Vector's corruption.

Receiving orders from the Esteemed Administrator to apprehend two Knights of Darkness spotted near the Northern Cave and annihilate the large platoon of goblins under their control, Barbossa Synthesis Five thought nothing of this ordinary mission.

However, even the veteran knight was surprised to see that the two Knights of Darkness he was supposed to apprehend were …

_"… __just kids?"_

While their semblance matched the general description given to him, their actual appearance was unlike that of any other Darkness Knight he had encountered before.

To begin with the usual obsidian plated armor was nonexistent, and the little clothing they did garb themselves with was tattered and dirty. While their equipment was undeniably unique and of high grade, it seemed relatively unconventional in a fight against an Integrity Knight.

"Answer me, have your despicable leaders finally decided to send children into battle too? If so, then I offer you a chance to redeem yourself and be blessed by the Esteemed Administrators judgement. You seem to be of human origin, so it may still be possible to return yourselves into Stacia's hands."

In response to being accused of something they are not, Kirito tried to reason with the fanatic knight before it was too late.

"Ahhhh … yeah … I think you are mistaking us for someone else. I don't know anything about these 'Darkness Knights' you are talking about, and I really don't feel like fighting someone like you right now."

"You mean you weren't planning on fighting anyone at all, right Kirito?", Sinon confirmed in a sinister voice, the suspicious gaze of the Integrity Knight not letting up in the slightest.

"Hahaha … of course …", was the half hearted response Kirito was able to muster.

Still not convinced, or more accurately, even more skeptical of the unusual pair in front of him now, Barbossa continued his interrogation.

"If what you are saying is true, then why is it that you are in possession of such high grade swords? The only weapons allowed for the village guard in this region are simple swords made by the local craftsmen. Even without the Stacia window, it is apparent that your weapons far exceed that limit. And you…"

Shifting his attention to the strange contraption strapped to Sinon's back, the gallant Knight continued.

"Your sacred instrument. Hand it over. Even in the case that you misguided children are not affiliated with the forces of darkness, I cannot allow you to carry a weapon whose function I am not aware of.

"Put away your own weapons first before asking me to do the same.", demanded Sinon with a powerful demeanor.

Feeling the atmosphere becoming more tense, Kirito took a step back and slowly moved his right hand under his coat.

"You would defy me? The holy knight chosen by the esteemed Administrator herself? It would seem that the 'Taboo Index' means nothing to you, which undoubtedly makes you pawns of the dark forces."

Moving forward a step, Barbossa settled into his combat stance.

"I have the right to injure you if I deem necessary, and as such I will not go easy on you if you refuse to give yourself to Stacia. I will ask you for the last time. Will you give up your weapons and be judged by the Esteemed Administrator?"

While keeping her eyes on the mountain of metal ahead of them, Sinon turned to Kirito and asked in a low voice.

"I only have two bullets left in my Hecate. Can we take him?"

"… I am not so sure, but it doesn't seem like he would just let us go either. Plus, I am not particularly keen on being brought to that 'Esteemed Administrator' of his as a prisoner."

"For how long can you stall him?"

"Not too long."

Ending their short conversation with a nod, Sinon darted past Kirito to the left, aiming for a small hill that would give her a decent view of the battlefield. Even though she understood that a sniper was useless once her position was revealed, she had no other means of attacking due to having used up all the bullets of her side-arm in the battle against the goblins. Therefore, even though she had no time to hide herself, the least she could do was secure a good position from which she would be able to snipe the enemy without putting Kirito into her line of sight.

However, this also meant that Kirito would be facing that adversary alone, forced to buy time for Sinon until she finished her preparations.

_"__A sacred arts user, huh?"_, the holy knight whispered in the darkness that was his helmet.

While sacred arts users were generally feared, even the Chief Elder Chudelkin had a hard time denting his armor with his extravagant magic. Therefore, while the sacred tool strapped to the girl's back might be a mystery, the bigger threat was by far the dual wielding boy opposing him with a fierce glare.

While one of his swords seemed to be made out of cheap unrefined metal, and the other out of brittle glass, it was hard to deny the pressure these blades exerted when together.

Yes. He would take out that boy first before proceeding to capture the girl.

"I'll take that as a no."

Ramming his sword and shield into the ground, Barbossa freed his hands of his holy instruments and saluted his opposing foe.

"My name is Barbossa Synthesis Five, Integrity Knight of the Holy Axiom Church. In my servitude under the Esteemed Administrator the blood my armor tasted has never been my own; today will be no exception. Accept my challenge, and I shall remember your courage until my life's end."

Pleasantly surprised by the knight's chivalry, Kirito's tense expression turned into a delighted (mischievous) smirk.

"My name is Kirito the black swordsman, and I am pretty good myself."

Grabbing hold of the small throwing pick lodged in his belt pocket, Kirito flicked his hand forward from behind his back and aimed the sharp projectile at his enemy's head. Without wasting a single breath, he kicked off the ground and darted towards Barbossa while unsheathing 'Dark Repulser' with his right.

Showing no signs of dodging the sharp needle, the mighty knight retrieved his weapons from the ground and started a slow jog into Kirito's direction; Kirito's thrown pick simply bounced off his armor without any effect.

_"__He didn't even flinch, huh? It seems like he wasn't kidding when he said that nothing ever got past that armor. In that case…"_

Eying his armor with calm demeanor, Kirito tightened his grip on the blue sword in his right as he jumped hard on a small sized boulder to propel himself into the air. No matter how finely crafted the equipment or how rare it's components, everything had a weak spot. All Kirito had to do was find it.

Performing a mid-air summersault while simultaneously switching to a back handed grip, Kirito used the force of the spin to drive 'Dark Repulsers' edge towards the approaching knight. If a thin throwing pick wasn't enough to make someone like him flinch, then the thunderous descent of a blueish purple colored blade should at least reveal a tiny opening for Kirito to exploit. Needless to say, this was the long-ranged one-handed sword skill "Lightning Fall". Even though sword skills in this world didn't retain their elemental properties they had in ALO, the attack itself was undeniably lethal.

Yet…

"Huh?!"

… the armored knight ignored even this attack.

While 'Dark Repulsers' very tip perfectly struck the shoulder plate of it's target head on, the radiant armor remained unscratched. The sword skill was immediately cancelled due to an effect akin to striking an "Immortal Object" and Kirito helplessly plummeted to the ground, paralyzed by the sword skill's interruption penalty.

Towering above Kirito like a mountain, the gallant knight fluidly swung down his enormous broadsword with a degree of swiftness that Kirito thought to be impossible with his build. Nevertheless, even as he was denied the movement of his own body, Kirito followed the blade's descent with his peerless gaze.

There was no time to think about death. Fear and hesitation would only get him killed. Focusing his mind on the approaching edge, Kirito forced his right arm into motion the instant the frozen stasis left his body. A light green membrane barely tinted his azure sword when it collided with the Integrity Knight's broadsword; Kirito being at a major disadvantage due to the fact that he was still positioned directly underneath his enemies body.

Releasing a desperate roar, Kirito forced the one-handed defensive sword skill "Spinning Shield" into an early activation.

Under normal circumstances, "Spinning Shield" only reached it's maximum potential once it spun for around one to two seconds, at which point it's rotation speed surpassed human cognition and took the form of a semi-transparent shield in the hands of it's wielder. However, due to the special circumstances of this situation, Kirito forced his sword skill to collide with the enemy's sword while it was still gathering momentum, since allowing the sword to charge up any longer would have spelled certain death. While impossible to meet frontal attacks like this, Kirito's aim wasn't to completely cancel out the enemies attack in the first place.

The sword skill "Spinning Shield" was obviously meant to be used as a shield against incoming attacks, though at it's core it was a spinning sword rather than an actual shield. With that in mind, even though the sword skill had not fully activated yet, it was already spinning at an abnormally fast rate due to the system's assistance. By aiming at the side of the enemy's weapon, Kirito was barely able to divert it fast enough to change it's trajectory from the center of his chest to his left shoulder.

In spite of that, there was no way to completely prevent the attack. Crashing down with weight and speed on it's side, the broadsword crushed the metal plating on Kirito's left shoulder as it were made out of cardboard. Fortunately for Kirito, while this meant that he would keep his arm for yet another day, the impact damage of the blow fractured his humerus and rendered his left arm completely unusable for the time being. While Kirito didn't intend on using his injured left arm in the first place, the pain that accompanied the injury was still unfavorable.

Still, he judged the situation to be rather fortunate since at least his dominant right arm survived the exchange unscathed.

Taking advantage of Barbossa's briefly halted movements due to his sword's painful crash into rocky ground, Kirito hurled himself backwards and put several paces between him and his adversary. It was only then that Kirito released the breath he held captive in his lungs and eased his tense muscles.

"Those 'Secret Moves'… There is no doubt about it now. You are indeed a Knight serving under the dark legion, and a capable one at that. I have battled the dark forces for a long time now, but this is the first time I have seen anything quite like it… Tell me, where have you learned those 'Secret Moves'!"

With pearls of sweat dampening his hair and clothes, Kirito answered in between heavy breaths.

"For the last time, we aren't 'Darkness Knights', or whatever you call them. And aren't you forgetting that you started this fight?!"

Groaning in displeasure, the Integrity Knight replied, "Fine. It seems that you won't talk unless I beat you. Let us see which one is superior, your 'Secret Moves' or my Armor."

Positioning his shield, or rather, his iron wall in front of himself, Barbossa charged at Kirito with the might of an enraged bull.

Ignoring the stinging numbness of his left arm, Kirito returned to his original objective. No matter how tough the armor, as long as he could aim for the gaps between the numerous armor pieces he should at least be able to pile up some serious damage if he avoided being hit by the knight's attacks.

Responding to the enemy's charge by sprinting towards him as well, the two combatants covered the remaining distance in a matter of seconds. The moment he entered Barbossa's range, Kirito pulled back his right sword arm and stomped hard onto the ground, propelling himself high into the air once again. Effectively dodging the shield bash that his opponent chained at the end of his charge, Kirito, who was now just above his Barbossa's head, spun in a sideways fashion and used the momentum of the spin to smash his blade directly into the center of his enemy's helmet.

However, other than the faded yellow trajectory of the one-handed counter sword skill "Crescent Divide" that glistered on the polished steel, the seemingly unbreakable armor remained unscathed once more.

_"__Tch!"_

Visibly displeased, Kirito didn't expect this attack to have any effect in the first place, but couldn't deny the sense of disappointment that built up in his heart. After all, it was a high leveled sword skill especially effective against armored units that players had affectionately nicknamed "Helm-splitter". Seeing how this sword skill was practically useless against his current foe, it was only reasonable for Kirito to be disappointed.

Regardless, as soon as his feet made contact with the hard ground the black swordsman struck at his opponents sword arm in quick succession, placing heavy emphasis on joints and gaps between the overlapping armor pieces. Again, each time Kirito's sword made contact with the plated armor his sword merely bounced and scraped against the metal with no effect.

Ducking under Barbossa's left arm as he performed a wide horizontal sweep attack, Kirito seemingly sheathed his blade on his left hip, causing the blazing blue flames of the one-handed sword skill "Slant" to lick his azure blade. Striking the shoulder joints with an empowered strike, Kirito finally felt a positive response, as his sword actually managed to slightly sink into the hidden chainmail underneath the armor instead of bouncing off like it usually did. While not dealing any actual damage, Kirito was content with this level of progress.

Reactivating "Slant" at the top of his right shoulder, Kirito brought the blade down the same trajectory in order to meet the incoming shield-bash that was executed by the knight's right shield-arm.

Though easy to read and relatively slow, even with the aid of the system assist Kirito's attack did little to stop the giant's powerful attack, causing him to easily be blown into a large boulder before he could recover his footing.

Refusing to allow Kirito a moment of rest, Barbossa rammed his enormous shield into the space right next to Kirito, literally placing an impassable wall next to him and cutting off his escape route.

Glancing to his right, Kirito could see how Barbossa's broadsword was already closing in at frightening speed. With the boulder at his back, the shield to his left, and the enemies weapon closing in from his right, Kirito moved into the only direction left to him.

Forward.

The burning orange arc left by his opponents sword was the last thing Barbossa saw before Kirito completely vanished from his sight.

_"__How did he-?!"_

Before the bulky knight could finish his thought, he felt two heavy impacts detonate against his right shoulder. Only then did he catch a glimpse of the flattering black long-coat again; barely in range of his limited vision.

While it was true that his armor was perfect in terms of absolute defense, it was inevitable that one would have to sacrifice a certain degree of mobility. Even though the heavy knight was still surprisingly nimble for his size, which had caught Kirito off-guard already, the was no possible way to compensate for the limited field of vision that was a natural result of wearing such a monstrous helmet. In other words, the tides turned into Kirito's favor the moment Barbossa decided to engage him at ultra close range.

Activating "Meteor Break", Kirito aimed the first two vertical slashes at the soft spot he had discovered just before, narrowly dislocating the heavy armor plates just enough to reveal a glimpse of the chainmail underneath.

With his sword now seemingly stationary high up in midair, Kirito was mere instants away from having a large broadsword lodge itself into his right abdomen, until the raging orange aura of his sword slowly spread to his left shoulder like hungry forest fire.

Performing a brutish tackle with his entire body, Kirito was miraculously able to evade the lethal trap laid to by his opposing foe by effectively dodging straight into his sword's attack range, to the point where even if his opponent altered the trajectory of his swing, he would only be able to hit Kirito with his hilt and pommel. With nothing left to cut but empty air, Barbossa's sword continued on to smash against his own shield, sending a jolt of paralyzing numbness through his palm.

Not letting this chance simply pass by, Kirito continued on with his ongoing sword skill and delivered a powerful downward slash at the identical spot his previous attacks had been targeted at. With no trace of hesitation upsetting the fluidity and swiftness of his actions, Kirito once again rammed his body into that of the bulky knight's, this time causing him to stagger backwards by a single step.

It was now or never.

With balance and stance broken, Kirito spotted his only chance to deliver a fatal blow against the holy knight.

For the first time in this battle, Barbossa let doubt taint his mind. Just how powerful was that soldier he had previously underestimated. While definitely a part to it, his true strength was by no means limited to his abundant variety of secret moves. No. This boy himself was a born swordsman, tempered by unimaginably dreadful events into the demonic blade he is now.

But even so…

_"… __that's not enough to break through my Armor!"_

The echoes of his roaring howl reverberated inside his sturdy helm and hit Kirito almost like a physical force. Abandoning his shield and sword, Barbossa didn't even try to pull them back to block Kirito's relentless attacks, and instead focused his entire willpower on the immortality that was his armor.

Momentarily flinching due to the intensity of his opponents roar, Kirito seriously considered whether or not that was an actual physical attack. Convincing himself that it was all in his mind, Kirito prepared for his final assault.

Unleashing the final horizontal hit of "Meteor Break" unto his opponent's supposed weak spot, the minuscule gap he had aimed for now widened for the briefest of moments. Intuitively folding up his arm that had just performed a left-to-right horizontal slash with the help of the residual motion left over from the powerful attack, the flickering orange flames that engulfed his 'Dark Repulser' never had a chance to extinguish before the violent and erratic inferno of dark crimson burst forth.

The most formidable defense could only be matched by the deadliest offense.

The sword skill he associated most to his self image of "The Black Swordsman".

Preparing to unleash the flames of hell unto the unprotected chainmail of his foe, Kirito clad his transparent sword with the iconic particle effect of "Vorpal Strike".

The earsplitting sound of jet engines accompanied the instantaneous forward propulsion of his sword. Ramming his sword straight into the small gap he had tirelessly worked on to reveal, Kirito's "Vorpal Strike" should have easily been able to rip through the chainmail, loosening the armor's fortitude from the inside. Once that had been accomplished, Kirito should have been able to strip the Integrity Knight of his armor piece by piece until he was vulnerable enough to be dealt the final blow.

With that in mind, Kirito pushed forth his blade with everything he got, but was instantly denied of his wishful thinking.

_"__Wha-?!"_

Even though he had clearly felt a soft response previously when hitting the chainmail with "Slant", Kirito's current "Vorpal Strike" was unable to even budge as single metal piece.

At this point, the chainmail Kirito struck at couldn't even be called armor anymore. What Kirito was struggling against should already be considered an Immortal Object!

_"__How is this even possible?!"_

Shocked to his very core, Kirito was unable to collect his scattered thoughts. It simply made no sense. Even though his sword's tip was clearly making contact with the chainmail underneath the armor, the response fighting against his palm was several times more intense and painful than the sensation of hitting the heavy plated metal.

_"__Is it an armor buff?! No, it can't be, that guy didn't even chant magic or anything like that. In the first place, magic probably doesn't even exist in this world. Did I hit the wrong spot?! That can't be it either! Why then?! Why?! If I don't think of something fast-"_

Just when Kirito arrived at that thought, the erratic particle affect covering his sword started to flicker at irregular intervals. Even if his sword skill wasn't interrupted or broken, if Kirito would remain in the same position for an extended period of time, the sword skill would deactivate automatically, leaving him completely vulnerable to any counter-attack his enemy had in store.

However, at the height of his panic, just when his sword's light flickered for the fourth time, he noticed something strange.

Maybe it was just an illusion or a side effect of the sword skill's intense shine, but just above the chainmail surface, thinner than a silky veil, a microscopic membrane covered each and every metal ring. Now that Kirito noticed, it wasn't just the chainmail that was covered in that bizarre light, but the entirety of his opponent's armor.

_"__A sword skill?! No that can't be, I don't remember a sword skill with the ability of buffing someone's armor. In the first place, that wouldn't even be a sword skill anymore… Then what is it?"_

"Confused boy?", the divine knight asked his perplexed adversary.

"This is why the forces of darkness will never triumph over the light. We are all that is good in this world. We are justice itself. As if the trickery of Vector could ever harm us. You must be joking if you seriously thought you had a chance to pierce my immortal armor. While I do commend you for your spirit and courage, I will now show you the true difference between me and you. Behold. This is the extent of my willpower!"

As soon as he finished his small speech, Barbossa stomped hard on the ground and pressed his body against Kirito's blade. If anything, this was the perfect display of his unwavering confidence his in armor. Seemingly transforming that confidence into a physical shield, the holy Integrity Knight pressed forward once more and accomplished the unthinkable.

"That … that is impossible …", muttered Kirito.

His eyes widened, and his body frozen due to the shock, Kirito fell backwards on his back … holding "Dark Repulsers" shattered remains in his palm.

Pulling out the other half of the sword that had now shattered into two pieces from his right shoulder, Barbossa walked over to his shield he had dropped in the previous struggle.

"I don't blame you boy. On the contrary, I am in awe. You fought me, Barbossa Synthesis Five, in a fair battle and survived for this long. If you weren't a pawn of evil, you would be revered as a hero."

After re-equipping it on his right arm, the knight walked over to Kirito who had seemingly collected himself, the hilt of 'Dark Repulser' seen sheathed on his back.

"If it weren't for that fire in your eyes, I'd reckon you gave up. Tell me boy, what else can you do in this state. Your left arm is injured and one of your swords is broken. Do yourself a favor and surrender."

He was right.

There was nothing Kirito could do right now.

He was tired, injured, and completely unprepared for battle. If it had been anyone else, they'd already be dead by now.

Still, there was one thing the foolish knight had already long forgotten.

He wasn't alone.

Having become careless due to the heat of his previous bout, Barbossa had naively forgotten about the black swordsman's silent ally, until the firing hammer's echo registered in his mind.

_"__The girl!?"_

Turning around just in time for the explosive auditory impact to strike his ears, Barbosa was able to spot a bright flash being emitted by the mysterious weapon that the girl was now handling with both hands. While she was seemingly casually lying on the ground in a harmless posture, the courageous knight suddenly felt arctic fear carve itself into his heart for the first time.

There was no way of telling what she had just done.

Was it a sacred art? Was it a curse? Some sort of black magic?

He didn't know.

All he knew was that the instant he spotted her ice cold, machine-like eyes through the unfamiliar tube attached to the top of the strange contraption, he knew that he had to do something, anything, to guard himself from the unknown threat.

Following the girl's line of sight that aimed directly at his heart, the Integrity Knight instinctively pulled up his massive shield with frightened haste. Whether it was due to his gods' blessings or simply stroke of luck, Barbossa barely managed to contort his body enough to hide it in his shields shadow; the mysterious glow that previously radiated from his armor now completely gone.

Nevertheless, a shield mattered little when faced with an anti-tank rifle.

Completely shattering the top right quadrant of his shield, the bullet, albeit missing it's original target, easily breached the knight's absolute defense and viciously connected with his heavy armored left shoulder. Blowing away any sort of worn armament in an instant, Barbossa hardly survived with his left shoulder intact. With metal and chains now gone, the knight's final defense seemed to be a thick leather tunic worn underneath his armor, a tunic stained in dark red from the bleeding skin it aimed to protect.

While marveling at her target's outstanding ability to deflect a certain deathblow from what could be considered point blank range, it was an undeniable fact that Sinon missed. Cursing herself for an outcome she had no influence over, she hurriedly reached for her last bullet in her pouch, determined not to miss a second time.

Meanwhile, Barbossa forcefully shut out the distracting throbs of his left shoulder and shifted his immediate focus to the unfathomable threat that had just easily pierced his defenses.

"System Call!"

Merely by uttering this single phrase, the air seemed to change around him.

"Generate Thermal Element!"

On his outstretched left palm, his broadsword already discarded onto the nearby ground, five flickering flames burst into existence on each of his fingers, awaiting their master's next command.

_"__Is that … magic?!"_, Kirito observed, astounded more by the fact that the knight chanted the ritual in english than by the actual existence of mage-craft in this world.

Sinon too was taken aback by the sudden development, her surprise slowing down her reload process by the briefest of moments.

"Form Element, Bird Shape! Target Enemy Unit!"

The Integrity Knight swiftly continued his short chant, the intention of it now crystal clear to his two opponents. The five miniature phoenixes danced around Barbossa's fingers, eager to descend upon their target with fiery vigor. Just as Sinon pulled back the heavy bolt to load her last bullet into the chamber, Barbossa shouted the order.

"Discharge!"

Though not as fast as a bullet, the bird shaped creatures quickly shot forward like arrows released from a groaning bowstring.

"Sinon! Get out of the way!", Kirito impulsively screamed as he catapulted himself forward, using "Rage Spike" to chase after the five magical projectiles.

Catching up the fast moving threats in an instant due to "Rage Spike's" focus on speed and range, Kirito aimed to take advantage of their linear flight path to hit at least four of them with the single iconic upward slash of his sword skill. Aware of the fact that the original "Rage Spike" he used did not retain the 20% Lightning attribute it possessed in ALO, essentially making his OSS "Spell Blast" impossible, Kirito bet on the slim chance that the structural design of magic in this world differed from that of ALO. What gave Kirito this idea was no more than a hunch, instinct even. Since this world was entirely made out of mnemonic data instead of virtual polygons, with even it's inhabitants seemingly "living" compared to simply "existing", the composition of magic must have undergone a significant change as well.

And he was correct.

With magic in this world not just existing of a virtual core surrounded by visual effects, the flying birds were almost like actual manifested phenomena. Kirito felt bizarre feedback transmitted to him by "Elucidator" as he sliced through the first bird as if slicing a tough flame with physical body. However, just as he chipped the wing of the second bird, the first one's death caused a small sized explosion at the side of Kirito's sword and lead to a chain reaction that detonated the two other adjacent birds. While the force of the blast was mainly absorbed by "Elucidator", the impact was strong enough to knock Kirito off his feet and slam him harshly onto the rocky ground.

Yet his sacrifice was not in vain. Due to the powerful blast, the remaining two birds were pushed aside of their original trajectory and halted their flight temporarily as they frantically flapped their wings to regain their balance. That was all the time Sinon needed. Before the spring feather could push the horizontal iron bolt back into place, Sinon's fingers already found their place on the trigger.

Neither rushing nor panicking, she took a single glance through the scope.

Two flaming birds cut through the air as she fixed her muzzle on her target's heart.

Under Sinon's command her Hecate sang the song of death.

Immediately after pulling down on the trigger, Sinon pushed the ground hard with her left arm and leg, throwing her body out of the birds' explosive radius. However, she couldn't completely dodge the attacks and was burnt by violent blasts near her waist and abdomen, unable to stifle a breathless moan as her nervous system lit up in pain.

But the bullet was fired.

Barbossa was aware that there was no way of dodging this attack as he previously had. He had just finished chanting and his body was nowhere near ready to vault out of the way. There was no more time to recite the "Armament Full Control Art", though even if he had the chance to prepare it, he doubted it could take that unfathomably powerful attack head-on without receiving irreparable damage.

Despite that, he had no intention of going down without a fight.

Positioning the very center of his shield in front of his heart, Barbossa leaned forward while lowering his center of gravity in order to root himself into the ground like a medieval castle's iron gate. As he consciously poured all of his remaining pride and willpower into his invincible armor the faint white glow resurfaced, only this time shining more brightly and erratically. The pulsing light gathered at his shield's center to the extent that it seemed as if a separate convex layer formed on top of it, acting like an additional defensive layer.

Bulging out to meet Sinon's bullet head on, the two forces' collision was accompanied by the mind-shattering noise of metal being torn apart.

Barbossa's embodied willpower was nearly perfect in every way. Against any other opponent or weapon, this kind of shield would have thwarted any attack or scheme the enemy would have been able to come up with. However, his opponents wasn't just anybody.

Not only did the mystery surrounding the two unknown warriors plant seeds of unrest and doubt deep inside his mind, Sinon's first breech also shook the indomitable foundation that made up his belief to it's core; his trust in his invincible armor. With those cracks weakening his incarnate ability's power from the inside, the best his shield could do was weaken the blow.

Though slowing the bullet down by an admittedly significant amount, it was not enough to stop it completely. After chewing through the white film as if in slow motion, the bullet sped up once penetrating it and mercilessly plunged itself into the shield's core.

Over the period of short instants, cracking and tearing noises joined the already unbearable pandemonium of scraping metal as the cracks in the shield formed a star shaped pattern, the point of impact it's center. After a final auditory outburst, Hecate's bullet shattered the armament and any other worn equipment into countless pieces, pieces of seared bone and flesh clinging to any debris wildly scattered into the air.

Barbossa's forearm had now vanished into beet red mist and the little that remained of his arm was nothing but a torn up bloody stump. Nothing could stop or divert the bullet now. Edging closer and closer to his sternum, the weakened bullet deeply buried itself far into his armor as if shying away from the sun's light and hiding itself in the metal confinement. It was only then that it's movements halted.

However, the body that absorbed the impact was abruptly lifted into the air and ruthlessly propelled backwards by several meters, the entire armor plating covering his chest now scattered like dust.

Drawing geysers of dirt into the placid air as he slid across the ground, Barbossa's limp body finally came to a halt near the river exiting from the cave's mouth. His right arm dipped into the freezing water and his blood stained the tranquil river like a ruby serpent slithering across it's surface.

Then … silence.

The combatants motionlessly lay on the ground waiting for the dust to clear, the reverberating echoes to dissipate, and warmth to return to their worn out muscles.

For what seemed to be an eternity, an intolerable nothingness descended upon the battlefield.

* * *

**Author's Note**

Sorry about that abrupt end, but this chapter was actually supposed to continue on for around 2,000 words, which explains why the end just doesn't really seem to fit. The reason why I ended it so suddenly is simply because the chapter got way too long. Even though I have posted a 10,000 word chapter before, I realized that that might be tough to read in one go, and that you guys might prefer reading such a huge block of text when separated into different segments. Even so, this chapter already surpassed 5,000 words, which is my current upper limit of acceptable chapter length that won't bore a reader...

So yeah, since I am still learning the ropes I hope you guys understand, but just tell me whether or not you are fine with longer chapters, because then I won't have to artificially split them up anymore.


	10. Act 2: The Human Realm's Shield (3)

**3rd Month of the Human World Calendar, 379**

It was as if he was drowning.

Chained to the bottom of the sea, he could barely glimpse the hazy outline of the sun dancing on the water's rippling surface … eluding him … taunting him…

Choking on the salty water in his throat, it seemed as if each convulsion only drew more water into his lungs.

Air.

He needed to air.

Desperately reaching for the shimmering reflection of light above him, Barbossa chased the flickering light back into the conscious realm; the dreamlike fog condensing into an unpleasant trickle.

"… w-where … am I-"

A crippling cough interrupted him before he could even finish his absent-minded thought, causing him to spew out a fraction of the blood drowning his lungs. Resting his cheek in a puddle of his own blood and vomit, the gallant knight knew he didn't have much time left. He already couldn't feel his right arm, couldn't feel any of his limbs in fact, and was only kept awake by the torturous throbbing of his chest … lungs? He was not able to trace the origin of his pain.

Too exhausted to move his head in the direction of the two new presences that approached him, Barbossa laughed dryly.

"… what's this? ..could this be pity?"

No response.

The silence was defiled only by another wave of blood-stained vomit.

"… if.."

He paused briefly, formulating the sentence in his mind once more; the wretched smile on his face replaced by a stiff expression.

".. if you are going to kill me, do it now … there is no point in taking me hostage or interrogating me. I'll be dead before Solus reaches the mountaintop…"

There was nothing but silence again.

Annoyed by the lack of his opponent's responses, Barbossa forced his body into a semi-upright position by leaning against his own massive armor for support, quite probably ripping through more internal tissue as he did so. Not that it mattered at this point.

".. bloody hell, if you aren't going to talk, then at least-", stopping mid sentence, the dying knight understood as soon as he gazed into his "enemies'" tear ridden eyes.

"… what are you crying about. Both sides fought with the intention to kill .. it is only natural that it would end with one side drowning in his own blood."

"… but"

Finally, the boy spoke, even though just a word.

".. wait. Have you never … was I your first kill?"

The harrowing expressions that haunted their faces spoke for themselves.

The Integrity Knight was right. Of course he was. Though limited as they may be, the memories left to him spoke of a world in which indiscriminate slaughter was commonplace, encouraged even. Protected by the banner of justice, he did more than simply raid villages in the land of darkness. He slaughtered children before they left their mothers' wombs and speared their fathers from the safety of his dragon's saddle. Such was his sacred responsibility as a protector of the human realm, the gruesome task associated to the title of Integrity Knight.

Meanwhile, the kids before him were just that, kids; mere infants when compared to him.

Sinon and Kirito had defeated thousands if not millions of computer generated enemies before, but in the end those were mere pixels, products of a team of artists and technicians, illusions produced by the push of a button.

However, Kirito knew what it was like to take a life.

He rid the world of many, each parting in a cloud of pixelated dust. They were clean deaths. No bodies nor belongings were left behind to remind Kirito of the sins he committed, the sins he carved into his heart with each swing of his sword. In time he had accepted them. Forgotten them. Until now.

They had surely fought Barbossa with the intention to kill, thoughtlessly following the instincts that carried them through their respective VR games and responding to the Integrity Knight's own unwavering tenacity.

The result was favorable in every way. They had won the fight … killed the enemy; reduced to nothing but a pair of bawling children. The uncomfortable feeling that they had tried to ignore ever since they killed the group of goblins now painfully resurfaced with the repeated act of taking.

".. so it is … listen, do not feel bad about killing me. I was but a shield summoned from the sacred land to serve humanity, more a tool than human.. at tool that, I know realize, should have been protecting you as well…"

"I am sorry we … it is our fault that you-"

"We are both equally at fault.. do not let my death weigh down your conscious …"

Their share of blame taken away from them, the disagreeable sense of grief dug itself deeper into their bodies. The knight's kindness did little to quell their remorse.

".. if you really want to help the human realm … give meaning to my death .. wander to the eastern gate leading though the mountain range at the edge … there .. Vector's army will gather there"

As soon as his broken words left his blood crusted lips, he saw a flicker of life reigniting their soulless eyes, his own being slowly engulfed in dreary fog.

"… go in my stead and find redemption .."

"We will."

"We wont disappoint you."

The two youths shouted with unexpected vigor, their tears dripping down their cheeks as they did so, directing their promise more to themselves than to the man before them; a self-imposed shackle to keep them on the right path.

Barbossa genuinely laughed in response, an action that almost immediately triggered another flood of blood and tissue to erupt from his throat. Before Kirito and Sinon could step in to extend a helping hand, the dying knight shook his head to stop them in their tracks.

".. I am a dying man, a dead man .. just leave me be. My dragon will carry me back to the Administrator once I order him to … "

"… but we-"

"please … go.."

These were is last words, his dying wish.

Kirito didn't move from his spot at first, frozen to the ground like a stalagmite, unable to tear his gaze away from Barbossa's body.

Time passed and wind howled through the mountaintops.

Kirito felt a soft warmth spreading from his left shoulder.

It was only when Sinon placed her hand on his body that he realized how cold it was.

"… Kirito he is dead.. let's leave …"

Reluctance dimmed the volume of her voice as she gently tugged on Kirito's shoulder, choking on held back tears.

The blood that was previously pulsing out of the knight's body like a steady stream had now come to a halt, it's vessel completely drained.

Responding to Sinon's touch, Kirito hesitantly broke his gaze away from the desecrated corpse and took his first step away from the battlefield. Then another. With their heads kept low and their shoulders heavy from guilt's weight, the pair slowly trudged downstream while ignoring the powerful gust of wind caused by the dragon's ascend, it's master carefully placed in curved claws.

* * *

The silent splashes of the stream were the only sounds that accompanied the downcast couple on their way home. They had been walking for two hours already yet still hadn't reached the twin ponds. Their sluggish pace was mainly to blame.

Worried about his partner's unnatural limp, Kirito dispersed the silence.

"Sinon, let me take a look at your wound."

"… it's nothing", Sinon retorted, clearly hiding her exhaustion behind a reliable front.

"What are you talking about. It's no use hiding the fact that you are limping. In any case, the sun is starting to set anyway so we should rest for now and continue walking tomorrow."

Begrudgingly nodding in agreement to Kirito's proposal, Sinon couldn't deny a small sense of relief at resting her tired body. Taking two steps towards the small river to her left she awkwardly lowered her body into a sitting position, taking great care not to let the fabric of her clothes rub against the skin around her right abdomen.

Following suit after placing his swords and long-coat on a soft patch of grass Kirito sat down behind her, still near the edge of the flowing water. He carefully extended his arms and gently removed the desert colored military jacket while Sinon did her best to unzip her white, tight-fitting kevlar based garment without causing any more damage to her injury. After slipping it off her shoulders, her upper body was now clothed only in her elastic black bra; her cherished muffler folded and placed on her lap.

If this where a different time or place, Kirito may have looked forward an opportunity much like this one. Now however, only worry and concern occupied his mind.

"Sinon … these burns! Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"This much isn't enough to kill me. Plus, we had to get back home quickly to treat the reopened wounds of yours. I only have burns, I can manage."

"Just burns? Look at this. Everything up to your ribs is badly hurt. You'd be lucky to get away with just a scar."

"I …", Sinon started but stopped herself.

She knew that her burns where more serious than she admitted them to be, and the slightest touch of fabric against her injured skin was enough to push her to the brink of unconsciousness.

She sighed at her defeat.

Entrusting herself to Kirito, the stiff tension finally left Sinon's body as she leaned her body against Kirito's own. After having torn and soaked a large portion of his long-coat in the translucent waters of the stream beside him, Kirito gently pressed the cold cloth against the throbbing burns that stretched from her upper waist to her ribs, eliciting a heartfelt shiver from his companion's skin. A shiver caused by something other than the cold.

The pair paid no mind to the setting sun as Kirito diligently renewed the wound's dressing, while Sinon absentmindedly played with a loose string on her pants.

"Kirito?"

"Hm?", the swordsman quietly responded as he carefully wrapped a dry piece of ripped-off fabric around a newly soaked patch of cold cloth to keep it in place.

"What … are we going to do now?"

Kirito's hands stopped for a brief moment.

Even though Sinon's inquiry was vague and seemingly rhetorical, it was obvious that she was talking about the earlier incident.

"… even though I want to return to our world as soon as possible it feels…"

".. wrong, doesn't it?"

"Yes."

Kirito finished securing the improvised bandage and Sinon used her regained freedom of movement to turn her body towards him. The mourning couple remained unaffected by their close proximity. However, this wasn't due to a lack of an emotional response. In fact, it was quite the opposite. With the death of Barbossa still heavily weighing down on their consciouses, they craved the presence of the other to withstand the gnawing regret.

"It may sound selfish of me to say this, but I want to travel to the eastern gate .. follow his instructions. If I can't do at least that before returning to our world I …"

"No I understand, I feel the same way. Even though it may take us a little while longer than expected, I think we owe Barbossa at least this much."

For the first time after meeting the mighty knight, the pair finally smiled again. While the corners of their lips merely curved upwards to a minimal degree in what could be best described as a painful smile, the significance of this milestone was undeniable.

However, it wasn't long after this unified agreement that a chilly breeze swept through the meadow causing Sinon, whose upper body was still clothed in nothing but her undergarments, to inadvertently shudder.

Having now somewhat regained his original state of mind, Kirito could feel his reddened cheeks fight off the crisp evening wind.

"I- in any case, you are going to catch a cold if you are going to stay like this. Hold on, let me fetch some firewood.", he mumbled as he hurriedly got to his feet and extended a hand towards the seated sniper.

Somewhat comforted by Kirito's slight awkwardness, she gladly let herself be helped up by her flustered partner. Deciding against putting on her tight kevlar based garment due to risking unnecessary pain, Sinon retrieved her olive-green jacket while Kirito unsheathed the broken half of Dark Repulser. It's other half was previously retrieved and stored into it's sheath, but since there was no way to rejoin the two pieces they remained separate for the time being. Opting to bring the damaged Dark Repulser instead of Elucidator due to the difference in weight, Kirito turned to the forest with his improvised dagger.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Try to rest a bit." he stated as he walked off into the forest before the dim evening sky lost any more of the sun's light.

Allowing herself to play the submissive role for once, Sinon followed his advice and started gathering a decent amount of leaves that she piled up on an even area. After spreading the black long-coat that Kirito left behind over the mattress of leaves to act as an improvised bed sheet, she gradually lowered her body onto her organic bed, taking great care not to shift the position of her bandage. As the entirety of her accumulated fatigue collapsed in on her at once, she could barely take off her shoes before a deep slumber robbed her of her senses.

* * *

It was the calming crackling of fire that awoke her.

It was neither too frequent nor too spaced out, but played it's rhythmical lullaby at just the right pace. It's faint glow, merely a warm shimmer through her closed eyelids, covered her skin like a blanket and made her forget that she was sleeping on a bed dried leaves. Glimpsing at the outside world through her heavy eyelids, Sinon noticed the hazy outline of Kirito's back. Since he sat between her and the campfire it was hard to make out any details other than the slow rising and dropping of his shoulders that indicated that he was awake.

A tired groan and the rustling of leaves registered in Kirito's ears, most likely intended as a warning, before the beautiful figure of the azure haired bobcat casually bumped against his right shoulder as she sat down next to him; her arms loosely wrapped around her folded legs. Kirito himself didn't mind her presence, welcomed it in fact, and continued to gaze into the fire after digging up the ashes with one of the many branches that lay in a small pile next to him.

"Do you think anyone will believe us once we return to the real world?"

Kirito's question was purely rhetorical. An open thought befitting the tranquil atmosphere.

"Goblins … dragons … kind elderly men … I think the goblins would be a good place to start.", Sinon chuckled.

"The story of how the mighty Sinon used up all of her ammo in a single battle is bound to entertain your fans back in GGO."

"I think the story of how I saved your sorry ass is more appropriate."

"Ouch, that one hurt."

"Don't be a baby.", Sinon consoled in a teasing manner as she pecked him on the cheek.

Kirito's (fake) sour expression immediately brightened.

…

Though it wasn't long before it darkened into a vivid shade of red.

"So … about us..", Kirito coughed to hide his nervousness.

Picking up on the topic her partner was about to address, Sinon could feel all hair on her body stand up as a part of her fidgety response.

"Well we .. we have-", stopping there, Sinon buried her face deeper into her muffler before continuing, "and so … I want- I mean we should .."

".. if you want … I mean with a guy like me you don't have to…"

Catching each other's gazes, the two of them momentarily paused as they both were stuck in their own nonsensical stammering. After exactly ten heartbeats, the unlikely couple couldn't handle it any longer and burst out in soft laughter.

"Alright, I guess there was never a need to confirm it.", Kirito said as he reigned in his chuckle.

"Hey, now don't expect me to let you off the hook this easily without a proper confession. I am a girl at heart, so no matter how cliché, this is something I have been looking forward to since I was a child!"

"… do I have to?"

"Of course you do. It doesn't mean anything if you don't say it, everybody knows that."

Kirito threw her a skeptical look, doubting whether or not Sinon was actually telling the truth or simply getting back at him for something he had done in the past.

_"__Is she still mad about that whole incident when I picked her up form school?"_, Kirito wondered, reminding himself of the sniper's tendency to hold grudges.

_"… __girls are scary…"_

Trying her best not to let her pokerface crumble, Sinon extended her left index finger and threatened Kirito with a poke.

"You are not doubting me are you?"

"I wouldn't dare."

"…"

"Maybe a little."

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Sinon put an end to their short theatrical play and returned the mood to normal.

"But seriously, now that this dream of mine has finally come true, I can't wait to tell everyone about it. The first thing I am going to do when we go back is call Asuna and-"

Without warning, Sinon stopped.

Not just her speech, her entire bodily movement seemed as if frozen into place to the point where Kirito couldn't even discern the sound of her breathing.

"Oi Sinon, what is wro-"

"KIRITO!"

Sinon immediately sprung onto her two feet and looked down at the befuddled black swordsman. Regret and hatred resonated in her voice, hatred that was solely directed at herself. Before Kirito could speak he was silenced by the sight of glinting tears that framed her delicate cheekbones.

"Kirito what … what am I going to do!?", each time she shook, beads of light fell to the ground.

"How am I going to live with myself…"

Kirito was still at a loss of what to do. The development was too sudden, and Sinon's outburst too unexpected. All he could do was watch with a blank mind.

"How will I ever apologize to her…"

Dropping down to her knees without regard of her injuries, Sinon weakly held onto Kirito's shirt.

"Will Asuna ever forgive me…"

In the very abyss of utter despair, Sinon uttered her name.

She expected no answer.

Desired no compassion.

Welcomed the distraction her burned wounds brought.

However. As if mocking her, his naive question dealt the finishing blow.

"Asuna … who is that?"


	11. Interlude (3)

**Author's Note**

Hey everyone, this is ChristmasForJuan.

Despite the story finally just beginning, I am afraid to announce that I might only have a few chapter left in me before I have to wait for the release Novel 16. Even though a full fan-translation of Novel 15 just came out a while ago, it doesn't contain enough details about the Eastern Gate which will be an important location in my story. Before I start making up content and having to correct that content later on, I decided to wait for either Yen Press or fans to translate Novel 16 before I'll continue writing.

However, that is only going to be a problem in the future anyway. With the information that is available to me right now, I can easily write more than half of Act 3 before having to rely on content present in Novel 16. After that, all that is left is the Final Act. Additionally, judging by my extremely slow pace, the novels will be out by the time I reach Act 3 xD

Just kidding.

Anyway, without further ado, I present to you the Third Interlude.

* * *

**April 11, 2026**

Asuna opened the door to her room clothed in nothing but a somber red pajama shirt and moderately frilled underwear that was white in color. She had just come out of the shower which was evident by her damp hair that lay heavily on her shoulders, darkening the fabric of her shirt as it soaked up it's moisture.

Due do her habit of relaxing in the bathtub for longer than necessary, her mind was still hazy from the hot coconut-scented mist. The presence of coconut came from a shampoo she had recently purchased said to keep the hair soft and to prevent split ends, a minor detail she paid little attention to since she primarily bought it for the tropical fragrance.

Letting herself fall into her large queen sized bed, the latest addition to her room, the chestnut haired maiden remained momentarily immobile as she soaked up the pleasant atmosphere.

Before the ensuing drowsiness managed to tempt her into taking an early nap, Asuna rolled over twice to reach her neighboring nightstand and grasped for the AmuSphere that was placed on top of a cute stand, a purely decorative article she received from Liz for her birthday. However, just as she placed it over her head and was about to switch on the power button, her finger hesitated to activate the machine as she seemed to remember something.

_"That's right, Kirito said he would be busy with work today…"_

Returning the AmuSphere to it's original spot, Asuna let out a dissatisfied sigh as she cradled one of her pillows. It wasn't like she felt lonely or neglected, nor did she consider herself to be overly attached to her boyfriend, but she couldn't help but feel sad over the fact that…

_"… we haven't spent much time together lately."_

With the end of high-school approaching, Kirito had spent more and more time looking into the field of software development and the evolution of Virtual Reality, along with it's influence on modern lifestyle and society. While regarding his newfound enthusiasm with joy and support, she failed to realize that his time spent researching was time they spent apart.

_"Geez, why am I even thinking about him!"_, Asuna scolded herself as she sat herself up into an upright posture, her pillow still trapped between her arms and bosom.

Her pink blush gave away her embarrassment.

Lately she would catch herself thinking about Kirito at any given time of the day, and every time she would reprimand herself immediately simply because it was embarrassing. If she didn't stop herself from turning this into a habit, she might really become overly attached sometime in the future.

_"Why is he making me so nervous when he's not actually here."_, Asuna contemplated as she got up to fetch the water bottle that she had earlier put on her desk.

Since she obviously knew the answer to her nonsensical question she didn't expect herself to formulate a reply, but instead used it to vent out her frustration on the boy that was currently unavailable. Come to think of it, him being busy was the main reason she was even in this state.

Realizing that she had just made a full circle, Asuna simply shrugged her shoulders in defeat as she took two sips from her water bottle, placing it on her nightstand once she was done.

There was still an hour before her usual bedtime and she had already completed her homework in class. Sitting back down on her bed, her pillow still cradled in her slender arms, Asuna reached for her phone and started typing a message for Kirito.

_I miss you. When are you coming bac-_

She immediately discarded the message and started anew.

_I don't really care, but Agil asked me how you were doing, so just tell me when yo-_

This draft too was erased before the phone even had the chance to autosave it.

Groaning as she fell backwards into her bouncy mattress, Asuna regarded the screen of her mobile terminal the same way she would treat a floor boss. After a few more tries, she finally arrived at an acceptable end result. Pressing the send button before tossing it on a pillow next to her, Asuna turned her body so that she faced her bed and buried her head in the pillow that she had hugged to her chest.

After running out of air and assuming a more comfortable position, she realized that she had run out of things one could do while waiting for a reply.

In the end, Asuna decided to log into ALO after all.

* * *

"Mama!"

As soon as her avatar materialized in the familiar wooden cottage on the 22nd floor, a full sized Yui lovingly jumped into her arms. The fact that she was in her original form meant that Asuna was currently the only one online.

Open noticing Asuna's complicated expression as she tenderly patted Yui's head, the advanced AI looked at her mother with a concerned glint in her eyes.

"Is something wrong mama?"

Sitting down on the nearby sofa and placing Yui on her lap, the Undine fencer was once again reminded by her daughters perceptive ability.

"Oh it's nothing, its just that…", Asuna trailed off looking for a suitable answer.

"You miss papa?"

Yui hit the spot dead on.

Asuna reluctantly sighed, "… yes I do."

"Me too! Lately even when he comes here, he just searches for research articles and american universities on the internet!", Yui puffed out her chest and complained in a cute voice.

Whether it was her intention or not, Asuna`s expression immediately brightened at Yui's innocent display of affection.

"I'll have to scold him when he comes back, don't you think?"

"That's right! … Oh. It seems Leafa is coming online."

Yui playfully jumped of Asuna lap and gracefully landed on the smooth wooden floor. After spinning around to smile at Asuna, she was enveloped in a bright light and emerged as a palm sized fairy like a butterfly from it's cocoon; the few remaining pixels quickly scattered in the room. While it wasn't particularly necessary to revert back to her pixie form whenever other guests were around, it seemed that Yui was strangely particular on only letting her Mama and Papa see her in her original form. Though neither Kirito nor Asuna ever approached her on this subject, they believed that there was no real need to press their daughter for answers right now.

Just as Yui had predicted, Leafa's avatar began to materialize in the middle of the living room. Upon repurchasing this cottage a few months ago it had become the main gathering spot of their group, and as such, was a popular location for logging in and out of the game. Heading to the kitchen to prepare some tea and biscuits, Asuna gave Leafa time to complete the dive sequence.

"Huh? Asuna you are already here?", Leafa exclaimed in surprise as she turned around to see her in the kitchen preparing snacks.

"I had nothing in particular that had to be done, so I decided to log in and spend some time with Yui. What about you?"

Pretending ignore the fact that Yui snuck behind her while she was greeting Leafa and stole one of the butter biscuits arranged on the serving plate, Asuna carried the tea and snacks to the living room table. Yui carried her bounty to her mother's shoulder, where she started happily devouring it after placing a kiss on Asuna's cheek.

Regarding the whole exchange with a smile, Leafa sat down next to her friend as she replied to her question.

"Well, onii-chan isn't back from work yet so I got bored and planned on going into the dungeon for a bit."

"He's not back yet? Didn't he say he will be back by six?"

"Yes, but he also said that he might stay there until Sunday. Apparently they weren't sure how long it was going to take."

"Did he say anything about what kind of part-time job it was?"

"Not really. He said he only got vague details himself, and would tell me once he was sure what it was. All I know is that he is testing some new type of fulldive system."

"Oh well, let's just hope that he isn't doing something dangerous again."

"I agree"

Letting out a collective sigh, Asuna and Leafa wryly smiled at each other due to the fact that it was actually very likely that Kirito would involve himself in dangerous matters again. Passing the time by chatting about random topics and snacking on virtual baked goods, a luxury when considering that they wouldn't gain any calories no matter how much they ate, they didn't notice time flow by until it was time for bed.

After cleaning up the dishes and exchanging farewells, both parties returned to their respective rooms. Since Asuna had already showered and brushed her teeth, all she had to do was place the NervGear on her nightstand and close her lights.

However, just as she did so, her phone suddenly started ringing.

Since it wasn't any of her custom ringtones, she knew it wasn't any of her friends. Heading to her bed and picking up the phone, she read the name on her display: Kikuoka Seijirou.

Though slightly confused, she picked up regardless.

"Good evening, this is Asuna speaking."

"Ah yes, are you free right now Asuna-san? I need to talk to you about Kirito-kun."

"Why is something wrong? Did something happen?"

"Ehhh… it is a bit hard to explain over the phone. I know this is unreasonable to ask, but do you think you could come and meet me?"

Checking the digital time display on her smartphone, Asuna realized it was already eleven o'clock in the evening. Not that it mattered. If this concerned Kirito's well-being, then any other obligations were secondary.

"I'll be ready in five minutes. Send me the address and I-"

"Oh no, I wouldn't let a young girl like you go somewhere on her own this late at night. I will meet you in front of your house. I will call you once I'm there."

"I understand."

Hanging up and tossing her phone on her bed, Asuna got changed in a matter of seconds and headed out of her room. At this time, her mother should still be working in her office, meaning that she wouldn't notice if Asuna snuck out or not.

Even if she did, it wouldn't have changed a thing.


	12. Act 2: The Human Realm's Shield (END)

**3rd Month of the Human World Calendar, 379**

Asuna and Sinon shared a legitimate bond of friendship.

Aside from Silica, whom Sinon viewed more as a kohai than a friend, Asuna was among the first of Kirito's friends that she was introduced to and one she got along with surprisingly well. Not only was she beautiful and charming, but she had a surprisingly outgoing personality that belied her princess-like appearance. After finding out that they shared similar interests, it was only a matter of time until Sinon's and Asuna's relationship ascended to that of "best friends".

Though this was where it got complicated.

Sinon knew that Asuna and Kirito were dating, and while Sinon herself couldn't accurately place the feelings she had for Kirito at that time, it was apparent that she felt slightly uncomfortable whenever these two were together. Yet, despite Sinon's confusion, she never intended for anything between her and Kirito to happen. Nor did she wish for it.

Her friendship with Asuna eclipsed her vague emotions. Even in the rare cases her feelings reacted to Kirito's proximity, there were never any darker intentions hidden beneath her actions. In a sense, she valued her bond with Asuna more than she valued the fulfillment of her maidenly fantasies.

However, everything changed when they were thrown into Underworld.

Forced to survive one trial after the other, there was no time to catch ones breath, no time for consideration. With this world acting as a catalyst, she managed to label her baseless emotions as love, and without being given the chance to consider the implications of this emotion, she acted on it without further thought.

The series of life-threatening trials continued until finally, the pair found themselves in a wooden cottage; a safe haven for their battered bodies.

Sinon acted on impulse that night. Reason and logic were pushed back into the recesses of her mind as she gave into her desires. She had committed a sin she would have never even considered in her right state of mind.

Now, with the mention of Asuna's name, it was as if she was dowsed in cold water.

"Asuna … who is that?", Kirito naively questioned Sinon with earnest curiosity.

It was obvious to Sinon that this was not an act, but genuine befuddlement on his part. Yet, that did not mean that she was able to understand.

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

Sinon asked not because she did not hear Kirito's statement, but due to her confusion preventing her from comprehending the fact that Kirito did not remember Asuna. To her, this was an impossible scenario. Yet…

"As I said, I don't know who this Asuna is? More importantly, are you alright?"

Kirito's continued to deny the existence of Asuna.

Sinon got up to her feet while shaking her head. This whole situation felt too unreal, too foreign, too perfect.

_"__Isn't this what you always wanted?"_, a sinister voice asked in the privacy of her own mind.

However, the disturbing accusation was immediately met with denial. There might have been a time when Sinon would have wished for such a thing, a world without Asuna, but upon the realization of what this reality would entail she felt nothing but disgust. Disgust at the fact that she would even consider such a thing.

Guilt, sorrow, and anger ground together like three currents meeting at open sea, the origin of this turbulence being the memory of that night.

There was no excuse for what she had done.

"Sinon!"

Kirito shouted as he reached out his arms and embraced her.

Realizing that she had been walking backwards towards the campfire, Sinon allowed a dry chuckle to escape her lips.

While there was regret, there was also joy.

She was truly happy about the current relationship she had with Kirito, treasured that night as one of her most precious memories, and even appreciatively accepted the warmth Kirito's body offered in his embrace.

All of which only amplified the contempt she directed at herself.

Sinon lifelessly rested her cheek against Kirito's chest.

"Kirito … it isn't me that you are in love with."

"What are you are talking about?! Of cours-"

For some reason Kirito couldn't finish his sentence. A throbbing headache assaulted him the moment he was about to confess his feelings for Sinon. That didn't mean that his feelings for Sinon were fake however.

_"__I see…"_, Sinon silently contemplated.

_"__Next to Asuna, it seems he really truly cherished me."_

This time it truly was happiness that painted her lips. She was glad that the feelings Kirito had for her in this world were genuine, that Kirito truly cared for her. If Asuna and Kirito hadn't met in SAO, maybe it would have been her standing by his side?

Sinon immediately abandoned that thought. There was nothing to be gained from wishful thinking.

"Sinon, you have to believe me… I-"

"I do Kirito… As you are now, I believe you but…"

It was too painful for her to say it out loud. The current Kirito truly loved her, just as she was deeply in love with him. Whether it was due to the malfunction they experienced when logging into this world, or due to a psychological repression caused by repeatedly taking part in the act of murder, she did not know, but it was apparent that Kirito had erased every trace of Asuna's existence from his mind.

As such, the Kirito embracing her was not the true Kirito. He was the sad remainder of person that had his most important memory stripped away from him. However, incomplete as he was, he was still Kirito, and because of that Sinon could not bear deceiving him any longer.

"Kirito… let's take break. Once this is over I will explain everything and I will apologize for all I've done… once this is over and return to the real world. If you still feel the same way I will respond to your feelings, but please … until then we should stop whatever happened between us."

Kirito was at a loss for words.

He did not understand the cryptic meaning to Sinon's rejection.

_"… __as I am now? … she isn't the one I love? …"_

On the surface it seemed as if Sinon had simply rejected him, but Kirito could feel the depth behind her words. He realized that she was hinting at something he could not possibly understand as he was now, and while this assumption made little sense to him, he did not feel like pressing the subject. The moistness he felt against his chest was reason enough.

"… I understand."

That did not mean that he was satisfied by the outcome however. The roughness in his voice was proof that.

After spending the night together and returning to the wooden cottage, the two injured warriors spent the next few days resting and healing their wounds. Upon being asked what had happened, Kirito and Sinon told Garitta that they had met with a group of goblins, keeping their encounter with Barbossa a secret.

Visiting the local blacksmith and tailor, Sinon, who recovered first and thus volunteered to run all major errands, upgraded their equipment in preparation for future battles. After all, with a broken sword and an empty sniper rifle, they could not hope to defeat any opposition they may encounter. Instead of sword and rifle, Kirito and Sinon settled for the next best thing.

It took them approximately a month to regain their original strength, after which they bid Garitta farewell and entered the land of darkness through the northern cave. Barbossa's testament spoke of an army heading towards the eastern gate, and while it would have been faster to travel there from within the human realm, Kirito and Sinon sought to stop the army before it had a chance to arrive. They didn't intend to face it by themselves, but slowing their advance was well within the trange of their abilities.

On the surface their relationship remained unchanged, but the emotional distance between the pair was felt by both sides.


	13. Interlude (4)

**Author's Note**

Hey everybody,

I just want to apologize from the very beginning about the ... well ... upbeat nature of this chapter. Though the extent of Lipia's character in the Novels is not fully explored, I always toyed with the idea of a life with Shasta and their eventual marriage. One thing led to another, and I believe these frustrations of mine found their way on paper. I realize that Lipia may very well act outside the boundaries of her established character, but after the dreaded pitfall that was the last chapter, I needed some cheery moments to keep my spirit afloat.

Excuses aside, I present to you the 4th Interlude.

* * *

**10th Month of the Human World Calendar, 380**

Lipia Zankale was a Dark Knight … as well as a woman.

Her gender had always marked her as an irregular in the Order of the Dark Knights, when most others would have sought to join the Dark Arts Guild. Ridicule and misconduct were commonplace, from both within the Order and outside of it.

In the Land of Darkness only one rule painted the face of society.

Power.

In a world where steel was quenched in blood and fed with flesh, the only things that mattered were the heads one claimed and the villages one pillaged. The battlefield was no place for a young girl.

In a world where justice resided in strength, women called upon the Dark Arts for aid to make up with their intellect what they lacked in physical strength. Though that didn't mean that they neglected the state of their bodies. The beguiling clothing they garbed themselves in reminded their peers of another, more enjoyable use of their female figure. With a mere flick of their wrists, they bewitched friend and foe alike as if mocking their flawed evaluation of their sex.

In this unforgiving world, Lipia emerged victorious.

Victorious in battle against warriors twice her size, victorious over the denouncing ridicule directed at her seemingly pointless efforts, and above all else, victorious over the iniquitous law that ruled these lands.

While unmatched in skill and rank by none other but her chivalrous superior Viksul Ur Shasta himself, she was not controlled by her power, nor did she act on it. As opposed to many that shared her status, Lipia did not seek conquest…

… more than anything, she sought peace and fairness.

She dreamed of justice and morality, not the one that had corrupted these lands, but the purest from of righteousness that had forsaken all but the gods. She prayed each day for a miracle. And every day her prayers remained unanswered she stepped forward to realizing that wish herself. Each day her plea remained unfulfilled, another village was plundered, it's families murdered, and their children sold.

If she truly sought after a miracle, she would have to create it herself.

With these hopeful thoughts brightening her mood, Lipia descended upon a decrepit, two-story building far west of the Imperial Obsidia Palace, the stronghold of the Land of Darkness' forces and home to the throne of the almighty Vector himself. The decrepit building was erected as far west as possible, just a short horse ride away from the Mountain Range that divided Stacia's realm from the rest. Lipia had deliberately chosen this spot for the location of this building, as it's single purpose was to safeguard her dearest secret, and as such, the further she could distance it from the dark stain that was Obsidia Palace, the better.

For the inhabitants of that certain building, the iconic flaps of her dragon's descent and the long shadow it cast on the ground below it were already easily recognizable, they had long since gotten used to that sight … and started to look forward to it. Though Lipia visited as often as she could, it was by no means common of her to travel to this remote reason for no good reason. As such, the excited chatter that greeted her during each of her visits grew in intensity each time. Lipia herself had not seen them for two full months and had to fight the thought of jumping off her saddle before her dragon had the time to complete it's landing.

This establishment, or rather the orphaned children housed within it, were the culmination of all her efforts, and just as it was her most prized achievement, it was also her greatest secret. Contrary to the ruthless mindset that existed in the Dark Territory, Lipia erected this orphanage out of empathy alone.

She herself did not know what drove her to this heretic action, but no matter how much she tried to berate herself for doing so, she could never feel regret over her decision to save these helpless children from slavery. Whether they were Humans, Goblins, Orcs, Ogres, or even Giants, Lipia would extend a helping hand without a second thought.

Partially due to her undisguised affection she directed towards them perhaps … as soon as her feet touched the ground, Lipia was razed to the ground by a mass of ecstatic children. Of course this "assault" was loving in every way, but to sheer number of kids simply overwhelmed her.

"Stop it you guys, you are just troubling Lipia by huddling this close around her", a youthful voice scolded from the other side of the mob.

A dissatisfied, "That's not true!", could be heard from within the crowd, but sure enough, they listened their elder brother.

Ishta El Kandr was among the first Lipia picked up from the streets. Lipia had initially judged him to be an enigmatic boy who had little concern for others, but it seemed that he simply enjoyed acting as a leader and keeping the chaotic rabble of children in order. What Lipia didn't know, was that Ishta took that role upon himself to seek the approval of the woman her greatly adored and respected, an embarrassing detail that the fourteen year old Ishta preferred to keep hidden from the middle aged female knight.

In any case, due to him rating as one of the eldest children in the establishment as well as him having been present ever since it's creation, he had gained the unofficial title of "Second in Command", the highest authority obviously being Lipia. While initially amused by this development, Lipia found herself agreeing with their decision. Though for different reasons, Ishta seemed to care for the orphans just as much as she did, and while she felt a tinge of guilt for burdening him with such a responsibility at such a young age, her efforts to find someone like-minded who could act as the children's caretaker had only ended in failure. As such, Ishta comfortably settled into the role of "Older Brother".

"It's alright Ishta. I was just a bit startled that's all."

Lipia was tired from the long journey and decided to ease a bit of the tension on her shoulders.

"Now that I think about it, weren't you always racing everyone to come and greet me first just one year ago? Ah~ I can't believe you entered your rebellious phase already…", Lipia's theatrical display of sorrow was accentuated by her heavy bags under her eyes.

"No I would neve-!", stopping himself from taking the bait, Ishta crossed his arms and tried to put up a strong front in front of his younger siblings.

His cough was anything but natural.

"I don't know what you are talking about. It was you who said that I had become too heavy."

Whether he realized it or not, but his counterargument did little to support his (fake) nonchalant attitude. To complain about a little thing like that … Lipia made up her mind to visit these kids more frequently.

Ishta's face slowly changed from shame to gloom as he carefully turned his head towards Lipia again. A bitter smile formed on her face as she could already predict what he was going to ask.

"So… how long are you going to stay this time?"

"I will be leaving before sunrise tomorrow."

An audible wave of dissent rose up from the mass of children still encircling Lipia. Even though she had just come back after two months, she would only be able to stay for less than half of a day? Lipia could relate to their dissatisfaction, shared it in fact, but there was no way she could disobey her superior's orders.

"I apologize but I don't have a choice. The only reason I could allow myself to stop by is to allow my dragon rest, before continuing towards the Human Realm."

Ishta's ears twitched at the mention of the world that existed past the mountainous scenery.

"The Human Realm you say?"

Much like a child who pondered about the existence of the stars, Ishta was deeply curious about the rumored paradise that was said to hold more riches than the mortal mind could grasp. However, it wasn't greed that fed his interest, but something infinitely brighter. A purely untainted sense of curiosity had etched itself into his mind and refused to leave. To explore past the known horizon and amass knowledge that wasn't limited by ink and paper. Such was the curse that bound him. He had a soul befitting that of a warrior.

Lipia knew of the sharp mind that belied his age, and felt guilt for restraining it. She did her best to satisfy his thirst, teaching him whatever education that had been imparted to her, but was vehement on waiting for him to reach maturity before introducing him to Viksul, her superior, and adding him to the ranks of the Order, granting him the freedom he deserved. Or at the very least, the highest attainable form of freedom that existed in this world. While she was aware that her worry was subjective to her protective feelings, she was unwilling to expose him to the cruelty she was forced to endure during her childhood.

Thus, with great reluctance, Lipia pretended to ignore the vibrant fire burning in his eyes.

"Yes. It is a mission of utmost secrecy, I hope you understand."

Ishta held her gaze for several seconds…

…before lowering his head in understanding.

It was clear he was saddened by Lipia's choice to treat him as a child, but at the same time he was aware of him being exactly that. As much as he loathed it, he wouldn't be able to accompany the woman he admired into battle before reaching a certain age. The grinding of his teeth remained unnoticed.

"If there is nothing we can do about it, then there is nothing we can do about it!", the cheery voice of an unreserved ogre girl broke the silence.

"Right you are. The sun is going to set in around one hour, so let's head back in and cook some dinner. Latirr, could you get started on the broth for me?"

The ogre girl by the name of Latirr enthusiastically nodded and started herding her peers back into the building. If Ishta was the "Second in Command", then Latirr was in charge of culinary matters. As sad as it was, but due to the absence of adult supervisors the children were forced to take every day matters into their own hands. Lipia's paycheck was barely enough to provide food and shelter, but even if she had the financial support, she had yet to encounter someone other than Viksul who cared as much for human life as she did. Still, watching them live their life in happiness was enough to dismiss any of her previous worries. This was the only reward she needed.

Most of the kids had already reluctantly parted from her and were heading back into the household, leaving but Ishta and herself in the outside courtyard. Just as he turned to follow his siblings, the shrill noise of whistling air assailed his ears. Barely able to spin on his heel and catch what seemed to be a wooden sword, Ishta lost his balance and feel backwards on his butt.

"Ohh~ Two months ago you wouldn't have been able to catch that."

Lipia noticed that Ishta had felt a little dejected and decided to cheer him up a little.

"Hey! That was going straight for … for my…"

Seemingly forgetting his shot outburst of anger, Ishta's attention was monopolized by the material of the blade he held in his hands.

"That… this is Druantia wood isn't it!?"

"I am surprised you noticed", a motherly sense of pride filled Lipia's chest.

"Well I … how wouldn't you know? Where did you get your hands on this?!"

"I guess that is one of the many advantages of traveling all across the Dark Territory. Every once in a while you stumble across something interesting. It took me a while to carve them into shape, and they are by no means comparable to what you can get in the Capital, so I hope you are alright with that. I modeled it after my own sword and made one for myself as well."

Completely throwing out his older bother persona, Ishta reverted back to the mindset of a little child as his eyes shone in undiluted amazement.

"No this is perfect! The shape is comfortable to hold and the hilt is expertly carved! And to have the same sword as you Lipia … it's perfect!"

Lipia had aimed to cheer him up, but was overwhelmed by his unexpectedly animate response. While happy about the result of the many hours poured into carving the two swords she based off of her trusted blade, it was slightly uncomfortable to be assailed by such a level of praise nonetheless. Still, with Ishta being riled up like this, it would be a waste not to take advantage of the situation.

"Say Ishta, what do you say about squeezing in a little bit of exercise before dinner? The long flight left my body a little stiff and I would love to loosen up a bit."

Ishta immediately picked up on her queue as if specifically waiting for it, and expressed his eagerness to try out his new wooden blade.

"Same as always?"

"The winner get's to eat the loser's dessert."

"The winner is decided only when the other party gives up or can't move anymore."

Though the rules seemed especially cruel when considering Lipia was facing a fourteen year old boy, neither of them payed it any heed.

Lipia saw potential in that child.

Though incomparable to herself and her subordinates, Ishta seemed to grasp the way of the sword fairly quickly, and his stubborn nature sometimes drove him to nefarious schemes in hopes of attaining victory … which was to be expected. Dessert was on the line after all.

Jokes aside, Lipia looked forward to their rare sparring session due to the passion Ishta dedicated to her lessons. Lipia had great expectations of him, and Ishta, who was aware of his teacher's evaluation of him, strove to fulfill these expectations with great vigor. He was by no means pressured into this role. It would be more accurate to say that the mere thought of Lipia thinking well of him strengthened his resolve. His admiration and appreciation for the woman who saved him from the gutter was simply that great.

Falling into a stance that mimicked his teacher's, master and student faced each other with identical wooden swords. Despite the blunt blade, the high priorities of the tools were practically visible.

Kicking off the ground at the same time, Lipia and Ishta swung their swords with unreserved force and locked them into a captivating dance of thrusts and blows.

It would be needless to specify which party did not partake in dessert that night.


	14. Act 3: The Dark Territory's Sword (1)

**Author's Note**

Hello everybody!

With this the Third Act of my story has officially begun, and with it the countdown to the end. Since my original outline divided the main story into 4 main Acts, we have now officially passed the halfway mark. To commemorate this special (?) occasion, and not because I feel the need to needlessly talk about irrelevant matters, let me tell you a bit about the changes I have made to my story.

As some of you may now, I am a little bit ... obsessive when it comes to planning and structuring my stories, so I naturally had a full outline of the entire story ready around one and a half years ago ... wait, has it been this long already? In any case, because of this large time difference, I was not yet aware of recent developments regarding Underworld since I didn't have access to the translated Novels, and thus my interpretation of the Dark Territory as well as the direction of the plot were a bit different than the one I have reworked it into. The main difference was the introduction of an Original Character by the name of Cheshire, which most if not all of you will probably recognize to be part of the "Alice in Wonderland" lore that Underworld, as well as RATH, is based on. His sword would have had the ability to induce hallucinations and illusions after feeding off of an opponents blood, a power inspired by the original Cheshire's ability to subject reality to his will, but I think we can all agree that this past character of mine seemed to be more a product of a child's fantasies, than a decent addition to the SAO cast. As hard as it is to admit T.T  
Obviously he had cat-ears, making him a cat ... boy, I guess? He was initially supposed to be the leader of a friendly group of outcasts that lived in a small Oasis within the Dark Territory, but after reading the detailed account of existing races in the latest translated Novel, as well as realizing that this development may have been too affected by the "fantasy" genre, that idea was also scrapped in favor for the current setting.

While taking Cheshire's place as the Dark Territory's "Sword", Ishta is by no means a replacement for his character, and more of a pleasant fantasy of mine. I have grown increasingly fond of the characters Lipia and Viksul that have been introduced in the 15th Novel, and Ishta is what I'd like to imagine what their son would have turned out to be if they ever got married and had a child. Call me cheesy, but these are the things I think about from time to time xD

On that note, let me apologize for the tone of this chapter, mainly due to how dark it turned out. Whether this was a consequence of reworking the "happy fantasy" setting that originally existed, or the influence of the Manga/Anime series "Noragami" I have recently grown fond of, but it seems that the current Act will continue the bleak mood introduced at the end of Act 2. Justice will prevail eventually ... though that would depend on your definition of justice. Is it the Realm of Darkness that is in the wrong, or is the Realm of Light? Make your choice, because Kirito and Sinon already have.

Sorry for the exposition dump in the beginning, but I deemed it to be a smooth introduction to the new Act. Also, it seems that some of you guys haven't read the Light Novels yet, so I just wanted to elaborate a bit on the setting so that you wouldn't be too left out. For those that do not wish to read any accidental spoilers (though this story shouldn't have any relevant plot twists related to the original story as far as I know) please proceed with caution.

Oh, and did you guys hear about the Sword Art Online Movie with an original storyline that is written by the author of Sword Art Online himself?  
Ahh~ I can't wait xD

* * *

**10 Month of the Human World Calendar, 380**

The Land of Darkness.

The territory that extended beyond the mountain range at the edge was said to have been forsaken by the gods, a place of exile meant to hold the fallen god Vector himself. Solus had long since reigned in it's blessings, leaving nothing but a dirty red sky reminiscent of spoiled blood. Light still existed of course, though the little blessing the Dark Territory received was nothing but a fraction of the glow that the mountain range was unable to properly contain. Just as the sky had fallen ill, so too were the harsh wastelands devoid of proper vegetation and life. Sickly trees sparsely spotted the landscape, though their bark was shaved off and gnawed at, leaving nothing but the eerie appearance of polished bones. Small plants and herbs still grew in cracks and crevices, and so did smaller organisms, but in a world where resources were scarce and survival an everyday concern even these persistent forms of life were gradually eradicated.

However, that didn't mean that the Land of Darkness was completely devoid of life.

There were five major races that ruled these lands.

The largest and most powerful faction were the Humans.  
Though lacking in strength when likened to Giants and Orcs, and fewer in numbers when compared to Goblins, Humans prevailed through ingenuity and skill. The Economic Guild had risen to power through trade and deceit, allying themselves with more powerful guilds, such as the Assassins Guild who secured their position through fear, to cement their social status. The Pugilist Guild may seem to be nothing more than brazen brawlers to the common eye, but their skills were highly valued and sought after for various requests, and they had soon amassed enough supporters to rise to the top of the social hierarchy. Contrary to their brethren, Dark Arts Guild and the Dark Knights Guild that had no need for schemes nor plots to establish themselves as respected groups. They were powerful. That was all there was to it. The Dark Arts Guild called upon arcane powers to smite their foes with unrelenting forces, while the Dark Knights Guild were the first to tame beastly dragons and subject them to their will. In a society were the powerful ruled, these two Guilds stood at the very top of the Human population.

The other four races lacked the diversity and creativity of the Human folk, but instead specialized in the specific characteristics they naturally possessed. The Giants made use of their colossal and sturdy bodies to withstand great amounts of damage, and though relatively slow in combat, the power that lay behind each individual hit remained unchallenged to this day. Orcs were highly militarized and armed themselves with discipline and heavy weapons. Naturally their raw power fell short of that of the Giant race, but they covered for this weakness with cooperative maneuvers. The Giants were powerful, but they were also lacking in intelligence. Orcs were helpless on their own but were justly feared when working together with their peers. If Orcs could be classified as heavy infantry, then Goblins fit the description of light infantry. They had no extraordinary skills to call their own and their strategy mostly comprised of overwhelming their enemies with sheer numbers. The were quick and agile, and acted as a collective swarm when engaging an enemy. Lastly, Ogres specialized in long ranged combat, mainly favoring the profession of archery. Though easily forgotten due to their grotesque appearance, their eyesight was accustomed even to darker conditions, and they were able to track their targets with little effort thanks their developed sensory organs; mainly their ears and noses.

The representatives of each race resided in Obsidia Palace and acted as a collective ruling body to govern whatever society had remained in the Land of Darkness after the civil war period had plagued the country for many centuries. It was now common consensus that none of the races were superior to each other, though it was an open secret that that was merely an official guideline to prevent yet another outbreak of war. Each of the races, especially the humans that prided themselves in their intellect, still deemed themselves to be the most evolved race.

Obsidian Palace acted as the center of the Dark Territory much like Centoria acted as the center of the Human World.

Though the magnificent walls of Vector's Castle stood as a beacon to unite the majority of the population, smaller villages and travelers obviously still existed outside the city's walls. Among these scattered groups, a smaller patrolling militarily unit had encountered intruders from the Human Realm. Unlike the inexperienced scouting parties regularly sent to investigate the four entrances of the Human World, the Orcs and Ogres of this patrolling unit knew better than to judge the knights of the Realm of Light by their stature and age. They had accompanied the Dark Knights Guild often enough to witness their fair share of skirmishes against the infamous Integrity Knights … none of which ever concluded in their favor.

However, it was impossible to completely suppress the haughty arrogance that resulted from facing mere children, children that didn't even don the iconic metal plated armor and simply garbed themselves in studded leather.

Kirito and Sinon tightened the hold on their weapons.

It wasn't fear or anxiousness that tensed their mind and body, but the act of claiming more lives. If there was one thing they learned after coming to this world, it was that they had a sharpened affinity for murder, a skill they had started to regard with disgust. They had slaughtered their opposition due to self-defense, an undeniably righteous cause. However, their enemies died believing in a cause even greater than theirs. Duty, Obligation, Justice. Corrupted and twisted as they were, were the wretched wastelands of their birthplace not to blame for their desire of conquest? Was the morality they lacked simply misplaced? They had cared for the survival of their race much like the Humans defended their claim on the prosperous garden they inhabited. Was this justice? Was killing them not an act of greed after all?

"Kirito…"

The swordsman shifted his gaze towards his similarly conflicted partner.

She was right.  
The justification of murder was a fruitless debate. War existed because both sides were just. When it came down to it, one simply had to pick an choose a side.

If he faltered now, then what did they kill Barbossa for? They had promised him to protect his land, side with the Human Realm and defend it from invading forces. Now that he had chosen a side, the only thing that was left was to act the part.

"Sorry, I guess I'm just a bit tired", Kirito apologized as he used his right hand to draw Elucidator from his back.

Sinon decided not to comment on his state of mind. Of course she was aware of the dilemma that was weighing down on him. She shared his concerns. They had promised the deceased knight to fight for his stead, but despite alleviating their guilt that stemmed from murdering a human … did these creatures before them not posses human souls of their own? Dark and twisted, but human nonetheless. She wished to comfort Kirito but did not know how to. It seemed that their journey through the Dark Territory had begun to affect them. If their current situation was what pressed their boundaries of the self-awareness they had as humans, then they had to escape this world as soon as possible. However, in order to do that, they had to survive first.

Averting her eyes and taking in the sight of the armed forces before her, Sinon steeled herself for the incoming slaughter.

"Let's rest early tonight after finishing them off. The salted meat is about to go bad after all."

A tired smile surfaced on Kirito's lips. He had long since gotten used to Sinon's indirect way of cheering him up.

Yes … he was certainly glad that she was with him.

"Huh? What are you brats talk-!?"

A metallic throwing pick lodged itself between the Orc's eyebrows before he could finish his sentence. Kirito's posture remained lightly bent with his left palm outstretched, noticeably marking him as the perpetrator. His expression was neither cold nor ruthless. While a slight shadow emphasized the glint in his eyes, there was not a single emotion left to discern on his face. No rage, sorrow nor honor fueled his actions, and the only strength left to guide his sword stemmed from the promise he made to a dying knight. If anything, it was disgust towards his own actions that had kept his morality in tact so far.

Keeping his posture low in preparation for his next move, Kirito raised Elucidator over his right shoulder and clad it in viridescent light as he activated the One-Handed Charge-Type Sword Skill "Sonic Leap". Out of the corner his eyes he confirmed that Sinon too had begun to rush forward along with him. Sinon specialized in long ranged combat and had little skill in defending herself at close quarters, a shortcoming of hers repeatedly proven in the past. However, even Kirito doubted that he could hold off a full unit of armored Orcs and Ogres by himself to provide Sinon with the distance she needed to safely support him from the backline. As such, instead of separating, the pair had decided to face their foes back to back.

Kirito's enhanced dash whirled past Sinon and engaged the Orcs first, focusing their attention on the blackened menace.

Though exceeding human limits with the swiftness of his approach, his attack was rather predictable and left a straight trajectory of his glowing sword in it's wake. The frontmost Orc, incidentally standing next to his fallen shield brother, raised his shield in anticipation of Kirito's downward strike just in time to bear the full brunt of it's weight, forcing his body back by several centimeters and digging his feet into the hard ground. However, he had halted his enemy's first attack. The other Orcs and Ogres were drawn out of their stupor and bellowed with ferocious intensity, a personalized war cry perhaps, and drew their own weapons as they charged into battle.

Kirito didn't give them much of a chance to wallow in their false confidence.

As he had just delivered his downward blow his body was still kept in a low posture. Extending his left palm, he forcibly retrieved his earlier thrown projectile from the dead skull it was housed in and buried it into his opponent's foot that was peaking out from underneath the formidable shield. The shield's defense quivered for but a second, but Kirito took advantage of the Orcs pain and robbed mobility to bring up his sword once more with a swift uppercut aimed at the shield's outer perimeter. This time the metal caved, allowing Kirito to step inside the guarded defense and separate arm and skull with the efficiency of a machine.

The bodies of Orcs were tough and resilient. Their bones were thick and the flesh was dense, but the unfathomable weight that lay within the obsidian sword rendered even their strongest attributes worthless.

Still, they were a species bred for war.

After cutting off Kirito's escape by surrounding him, another combatant sprung forth from behind the collapsing body of his comrade and viscously brought his sword down, only to have his movements completely halted midair as he clashed against Kirito's favored blade. Two more Orcs engaged Kirito form the left, prompting Kirito to slacken the grip on Elucidator, slanting it diagonally towards the ground, and shoot his left foot out like a whip to kick one of the Orcs into the other to stall them. The Orc that had been previously stopped by Kirito's block, fell after his momentum had been countered while he was still airborne from his jumping attack, and barely kept his neck from falling into the diagonally slanted edge of the black sword by stemming his heavy body on his bulky arms. One more Orc charged at Kirito's right side to take advantage of the opening, an opening Kirito had deliberately manufactured. The Orc raised his arms to prepare his two-handed broadsword for a crushing blow, only to realize that the black clad swordsman had already shifted his position. Instead of dodging the blow, Kirito kept his sword where it had been, underneath the crouched Orc's throat, and rotated his body around it to position it at his left hip. This time Elucidator glowed in pristine blue as it sheared through the unprotect throat hovering above it and opened a gaping chasm in the attacking Orcs stomach. The One-Handed Sword Skill "Slant" claimed two lived with a single swing.

However, Kirito's body was now completely turned away from the Orcs he had previously kicked away, a move that held no damaging potential in the least and was merely used to stall their approach. He also didn't have the luxury to take his time and meet their attacks as there were already plenty of other foes replacing the bodies he had just cut down. Instead, he chose to ignore the enemy at his back.

The duo of Orcs snorted in annoyance as they noticed Kirito's blatant rejection of their presence. One of them took the initiative and prepared to cut down the haughty swordsman with a roughly executed downward slash of his sword … but his bloodlust was met with steel instead.

A girl had jumped in between himself and her partner and received his attack not with a shield, sword, or even a dagger, but with a sturdy bow. The bow was thick and robust in it's build and obviously crafted with the intention of withstanding a large amount of force, whether from external impacts, or from the drawing strength of it's petite wielder. The glossy wood was covered in what obviously seemed to be high priority metal, adding to the weapon's weight but also increasing it's stability.

In the final battle she had fought in the Human Realm, Sinon had used up the last of her ammunition. Though an outstanding piece of equipment that outclassed medieval weaponry to an unfair degree, her Hecate's only weakness was the tangible limit to it's use. Guns were dependent on bullets, and without the ammunition to support them, guns were essentially useless. Her beloved Hecate had lost it's value after it's final shot, but whether out of stubbornness or habit, Sinon refused to discard her trusted companion.

It was when she had brought the shards of Kirito's "Dark Repulser" to the local blacksmith that she was struck by an idea. If her Hecate could not aid her in it's current form, then all she had to do was alter it.

Visiting the local craftsmen and metalworkers, Sinon purchased a bulk of the surprisingly cheap wood of extraordinary quality that was a product of farmers expanding their fields deep into the ancient woods in the south, and requested them to fashion it into a bow of her preference. Sinon had prioritized penetrating power and durability at the cost of the advantage of weight out of the stubborn desire to remain faithful to her original weapon of choice. In the first place, she had been able to carry Kirito's weaponry with ease and should thus have had no problem wielding a bow meant for adult men.

The metallic parts of her original Hecate were molten down and used to craft several arrowheads, as well as to cover the majority of her bow in aesthetic plating that allowed her to use her bow to deflect attacks without damaging the actual wood that lay beneath. Though not as good as Lisbeth, the blacksmiths were able to fashion the metal plating in a way that would neither hinder the bow's flexibility nor downgrade it's usability. The end product was the weapon Sinon currently wielded in combat, a weapon that allowed her fight side be side next to Kirito as opposed to abandoning him in the field of battle and sniping targets from far away.

The Orc himself was baffled by the act us using a bow to deflect his sword, as well as by the sudden appearance of the feline companion of his original target. How did she break the perimeter around them? Daring a quick glance towards the direction the azure haired archer had come from, all he saw were the lifeless bodies of his companions littered carelessly on the ground. Other than the steady stream of blood pulsing from their foreheads, they seemed to have no external injuries.

_"__How is that even possible?"_

Feeling something drip onto his nose, the Orc quickly returned his sight back to the girl in front of him.

She didn't completely halt his attack, as that would have put needless strain on her bow, and instead deflected it to the side by letting it slide off it's curved metal surface. With her bow still raised in front of her, she had nocked an arrow into her bowstring and aimed it directly between the Orc's eyebrows. Blood still moistened the arrowhead.

The Orc understood as soon as he eyed the blood tipped arrows she held in her right palm, the same hand that firmly held onto the groaning bowstring. Though the quiver she wore on her hip was filled with an abundance of arrows, she meticulously retrieved her ammunition and carried them in her hand as opposed to returning them to her quiver. That way she could let them fly at a moments notice without wasting even a single second of precious time.

Death came too fast for the Orc to realize as the arrow, but a few inches from his forehead, cracked his skull and pierced his brain.

His companion, undoubtedly a seasoned warrior, remained undaunted by his death, though it was possible that it was nothing but military allegiance that bound them in the first place. He charged forward and struck Sinon's bow with his sword. While she had become proficient enough at close combat to hold her ground, it was only natural for her weapon to be at a disadvantage at this proximity. Her light body tumbled backwards after her posture crumbled under the vicious strike, bumping into Kirito's familiar back.

"Switch with me."

"There's two on my end."

Using the point of contact of their backs as a reference, Kirito and Sinon rotated in a counter-clockwise movement and switched positions, Kirito standing tall while Sinon crouching low. With a flick of her wrist she spun two of the arrows in her right palm between her index, middle, and ring finger, and drew back the bowstring with two feathered arrows. Just as Kirito had said, two orcs had lunged at Kirito just before they had switched positions and were suspended in the middle of their attack. Sinon, positioned right underneath them due to her crouch, flicked her bow upwards and forced their roaring mouths shut by driving her arrows upwards into their skull. She allowed the lifeless bodies to collapse under their own weight as she extracted her bloodstained projectiles from their heads.

Kirito himself had dealt with Sinon's attacker by using the inertia gained by the circular rotation to ram a glistening edge into the Orc's throat. Elucidator would have been too long and heavy to deal with an Orc that had crept into this uncomfortably close range, so Kirito had grasped the hilt of his newly fashioned dagger from the sheath he wore on his side and taken advantage of the mobility and accuracy it granted him.

Much like Sinon's Hecate, Kirito's Dark Repulser had also been modified by the local blacksmiths in Rulid village to allow it to continue to serve in battle. Though half of the blade had broken off, it retained it's sharpness and priority. However, due to it's unique material, the blacksmiths had given up of reforging the shattered blade, and instead had simply ground the edges to serve another purpose. If they had left it broken as it was, it would have continued to lose life and would have eventually been reclaimed by Stacia, but by smoothening the intersection of the crack and transforming it into a dagger, it was seemingly reforged into a new weapon instead of retaining it's status as a "broken weapon". Though irritated by the loss of his treasured sword, Kirito had gotten used to handling the shorter blade in no time.

Pulling out the short blade from the confines of dead flesh, Kirito struck an incoming sword to stall it's approach and expose the chest of yet another Orc. Lifting Elucidator perpendicular to his body, Kirito used his entire body to tackle the Orc and burry the blade deep into his stomach, hiding his body in the shadow of the large Orc's frame.

"Sinon!"

Ducking under a horizontal swing, Sinon noticed the familiar whistling noise that Kirito pointed out to her. Tightening her grip on the arrows in her right palm, she lodged them into an Orc's eye socket and used them as a handle to support the corpse, keeping it upright and using it as a shield just like Kirito did.

Without a moments notice, the whistling noise came down as a barrage of crude arrows, taking a few unlucky Orcs with them. It seemed that the Ogre Archers had deemed the life of a few of their companions a worthy sacrifice if it meant the death of the warriors that currently thinned their ranks. As cohesive a unit as they were, this act of desperation seemed to kindle long suppressed flames of buried racial conflict, causing some of the Ogre's peers to shout incomprehensible insults. Though not to the extent of completely ignoring Kirito and Sinon, the Orcs noticeable hesitated to step into their proximity out of fear of being mowed down by their Ogre allies.

That window of inaction was a blessing for Sinon.

Darting out from underneath her cover, the feline Archer stood tall and proud as her deadly aim claimed the lives of three Ogres in an instant. There were no enemies in her proximity right now, and as such, they had allowed her free reign to do as she pleased. Her bow was more powerful, her arrows quicker and more precise. As she handled her bowstring as skillfully as an accomplished harpist, the number of remaining Ogres dwindled into single digits.

Naturally this stasis wouldn't last forever. Orcs rushed in, stepping over the bloodied carcasses that carpeted the ground, and Ogres shot arrows of their own in retaliation.

Striking the arrowhead of one projectile heading in Sinon's direction, Kirito sent it flying upwards before darting sideways to engage the incoming wave of Orcs. Picking the spinning arrow out of the air, Sinon adopted it as her own and shot it back towards the Archer it originally belonged to.

GGO, much like most of the other shooter-styled VRMMORPGs that had been released in the recent years, utilized an intricate physics engine that emulated wind resistance, gravity and other trajectory altering factors with frightening realism. In other words, she had been practicing manual correction for years. Though her switch to ALO forced her into the role of an archer, she had soon gotten used to the handling of bow and arrow and mastered it's use in the recent weeks fighting in the Dark Territory. Similarly, Kirito had achieved a mastery of the sword unprecedented in modern society, one that was similarly honed in their time surviving in this virtual world.

This was not a bias made due to haughtiness or pride, but the undeniable truth. Numbers could match skill in some cases, but unfortunately this was not the one. As her heart quivered each time her arrows pierced another, Sinon kept on killing, kept on slaughtering … kept on "saving" humanity.

.

.

.

But at what cost?


	15. Act 3: The Dark Territory's Sword (2)

**Author's Note**

Hey guys,

I just wanted to give everybody a fair warning before you go into this chapter. Sinon might have become a little more tsundere than I initially planned for her to be, a likely consequence of me marathoning "Horimiya" recently, so hopefully you guys don't mind her accidental personality tweak too much. It seems the story always wants to shape itself when I'm writing it T.T

* * *

**10 Month of the Human World Calendar, 380**

A number of hills dotted the barren wasteland.

They were small, nearly indistinguishable from common piles of dirt, only noticeable due to the swords that were lodged in each and every one of them. They were monuments of warriors whose bodies had long since disappeared. The graves were empty, but the gravestones would live on until they too would inevitably disappear; each and every byte of it's data erased from memory.

A single pair of footprints led away from the graveyard.

A lone swordsman headed south. Both sword and short-sword were strapped to either side of his hip to accommodate the woman he carried on his back.

"… sorry"

"I told you, neither of us could have prepared for that surprise attack. Actually I should be the one thanking you for saving me from that attack. If I had payed more attention…", eying the bandage wrapped around Sinon's right leg, Kirito held himself back from clenching his fist.

"Don't."

"Wha-?"

Kirito didn't get very far before the combined weight of Sinon's palms and chin weighed down on the top of his head. Was she simply tired or was she chiding him?

"Don't beat yourself up over this. I told you it was my fault already, so there's nothing left for you to do but to forgive me."

"… I forgive you?"

The weight on his on his head lessened slightly.

His companion apparently deemed his response acceptable, yet remained in her relaxed posture regardless. Both her hands had cupped his head to form a pillow, allowing Sinon to regard the passing mountains to her right by resting on her left cheek. Other than the occasional howling breeze and shifting sands, only the rhythm of Kirito's steady pace filled the space around them. It was an almost hypnotic tempo, and Sinon barely caught herself purring (humming) along.

"Say Sinon?"

"Hmmm?"

"What do you think the people 'here' are like?"

"… you … never mind."

Kirito had voiced the concern neither of them had yet been willing to discuss. What had changed his mind? Was it the weight strapped to his hips? The scavenged supplies sitting in his pouches?

Sinon didn't shift her body as she noted the change in atmosphere. The mountains … they looked so different from the other side.

"They're not that different from ourselves I think."

Sinon felt the brief tension in his back, but decided to wait for Kirito to speak his mind first.

"I never really thought much about it when I was killing mobs because they were just data. And even … in Aincrad. I killed people. The worst thing was that while I did, I felt relieved. I was relieved that they were stopped, that they could no longer continue their atrocities. I killed people … and I did so without regret. They probably had friends and families, but-"

"Then don't you already have your answer?"

"…"

"We don't have the luxury at this point to think about what is right or wrong. We've already chosen a side, so it would be an insult to Garitta and Barbossa if we were going to doubt ourself now."

"Aren't you worried at all?"

"Of course I am."

Sinon's warm breath brushed against the tips of Kirito's strands as she exhaled a sigh.

"It wasn't too hard of a guess before, but now that we are actually here it's even more obvious. Anyone would want to escape this land if they had the chance, and the Human Realm is practically begging to be invaded. If I had grown up in the Dark Territory I doubt I would even hold any sympathy at all for the spoiled Humans on the other side, much like anyone else we've met so far. We've killed Goblins, Orcs, and Ogres over and over again, but in the end, didn't they just want to live somewhere other than this wasteland? Even now I wish we could just turn back, head to the church and log out, but along with everyone else I killed, it was also me who killed that knight."

"…"

"He asked us to keep his people safe. Garitta is a part of that."

Kirito continued to remain silent. Sighing once more, Sinon removed her hands from underneath her cheek and wrapped her arms loosely around Kirito's neck, resting her chin directly on his unruly hair.

"Remember when you first introduced me to Asu-… when I met Agil-san for the first time?"

"… I do."

"You knew about my secret back then already. I killed a robber with his own gun. He might have had a family, and friends. Maybe he needed that money for his mother, or maybe he could have straightened up his life and helped other people in the future. I know it's unlikely, but it's still possible. Despite that, I killed him. Back then it was the only thing that I could do, the only thing that I could think of. In that café … do you remember what you told me?"

"… that you had the right to think of those you've saved … that you had the right to forgive yourself."

"You also said that what I did wasn't particularly the right thing to do."

Despite the dark content of her message, Sinon wore a melancholic smile.

"I never really thanked you directly … but back then, you saved me with those words."

Kirito's back, previously cold to the touch, now seemed to regain it's warmth.

"… you are making me feel stupid for getting depressed over something like this…", and sure enough, even the hint of a smile carried over in tone.

"Serves you right you hypocrite."

Snuggling up against his nape, Sinon indulged in the newfound clarity of her mind.

"I'm not saying that we are necessarily doing 'the' right thing, but as long as we do it of the sake of other people, isn't it fine if it's just 'a' right thing? To an extent I still think that what we are doing is wrong, but I feel that we would be losing something important if that weren't the case."

"You've stopped making sense now…"

"Shut up."

The march continued uninterrupted. This time however, the weight on his hips seemed much lighter than before.

"By the way Sinon?"

They had walked for an amount of time barely discernible due to the sky's permanent dirty dye. Sinon had continued to shift her position until finally settling on one she deemed the most comfortable, an act unreserved enough to make Kirito consider letting her walk by herself after all. To dispel his thoughts and to distract himself from the uneventful hike, he had called out to Sinon with no avail.

"Are you asleep?"

"…no I was just … yeah. Anyway, what's up?", the startled drowsiness in her voice was blatantly obvious.

Assaulted by the shifting strands of hair tickling his exposed skin, he instantly regretted disrupting her rest, but continued on regardless.

"I was just wondering what that Asuna girl was like. You said that she is my girlfriend in the real world, but I know next to nothing about her."

"Hmmm… well, she is a pretty balanced beauty. She is thin with just a little bit of muscle, but doesn't look unhealthy or too athletic. She had long brown hair and … right, she came from a rather wealthy family. She was gentle, kind, and constantly concerned about her friends. She excelled in school and somehow managed to balance her academics with her social life perfectly. From what she told me she didn't really play a lot of games until SAO, so she was pretty helpless until she met you. I guess that's when she fell for you."

"She sounds like someone from a romantic drama… Why date someone like me?"

"Her and I probably fell for you for a similar reason…"

Sinon immediately regretted carelessly voicing her thoughts without paying attention to what she was actually saying, and rashly continued the conversation.

"Anyway, the two of you were pretty inseparable from the moment I met you guys, so you must have done something to impress her at least."

"… right", Kirito muttered, deciding to ignore her earlier statement for sake of his personal well-being.

"I just wondered why I would have fallen for someone like her."

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"Well, so far all I can picture her as is your typical 'unattainable and perfect girlfriend', but I don't think I would have ever been comfortable being around someone like that? Maybe it's because of the time I've spent here, but I think I would have preferred someone I can relate with more…"

"It's always been a mystery to all of us how you two ended up in the first place. She's way above your reach."

"… is it just me, or was that resentment I just heard?"

"That's just you."

"…"

Maybe it was just Kirito's imagination, but Sinon's tongue had gotten a great deal sharper than before.

"Then once we leave this place, get out of here I mean, what then?"

"Eh? We … go back to our normal lives … I think?"

"Do you really think we can do that? What if I don't want to return to my old life…"

"What do you mean?"

"I… You promised that once we return to the real world … if I met this Asuna and still feel the same way I do about you … that …"

"What!?"

Sinon's entire body tensed up instantly, her brain unable to process a rational response despite the excessive quantity of blood that had rushed to her head in a mere second. It wasn't only Sinon whose vividly reddened ears poked out from underneath her contrasting blue hair, but Kirito himself failed to hide the embarrassment evident on his expression.

"I- I … mean we …"

"What I am saying is, if I meet with Asuna again and explain the situation … and if I still want to be with you at that point … what would you do…?"

Sinon grasped Kirito's wide shoulders and buried her face deeply into his clothes. Even though it was impossible for him to see her right now, Sinon hid her face regardless.

"… you idiot, how can you ask something like that so shamelessly?!", the shivering feline mumbled into the "idiot's" clothes.

"… so?"

"… the answer is obvious …"

* * *

The sun had set in the Land of Darkness, and the two companions enjoyed the warmth brought to them by a small campfire, as well as the last of their salted meat. They had found a small crevice that led into a large piece of land previously inaccessible through normal means. The wide uneven space was definitely large enough to fit an entire village, maybe even a city, but Kirito and Sinon didn't have the time to actually explore the newfound area by themselves. The sun had started the set and their stomachs had grown impatient. The crevice itself was adequately hidden from plain sight, they had found it purely by accident, and it was too narrow for heavy infantry to pass through in the first place. Regardless of the fact, Kirito and Sinon still looked for a place with sufficient cover near the entrance to set up camp, making it a point to prepare for the worst. It wouldn't have been the first time that their fire had attracted unwelcome attention. However, the nights in the Land of Darkness were harsh and cold, so the warmth their fire provided was essential.

However, despite their best efforts, they failed to

**notice the hushed voices**

in the dark.

Whispers

and murmurs

**chasing the flicker of flame.**

Polishing their weapons after dinner, Kirito and Sinon passed the time by talking about random topics, ranging from the first meal they wanted to eat once they returned home to a heated discussion regarding who would take the first watch. Kirito insisted that Sinon should rest due to her injury, while Sinon stated that it was precisely because of her injury that Kirito, the one who would have to protect her until she got better, would benefit more from resting than her.

"Hey hey,

**they have food and clothes**

it smells good!"

**"****It's so cold,**

the fire

**must feel nice."**

Sinon eventually gave in. While she was usually able to win most arguments with her thickheaded peer, she had never succeeded doing so when it concerned her own health. Setting aside her weapon, she raised her arms above her head, and arched her back with a drawn-out satisfied stretch, fatigue nestling itself in her heavy eyelids as she did so.

"Let's go back

**Ishta would get angry**

if we don't leave soon."

"But look,

**her hair is blue like Lipia's**

**she must be nice!"**

"Maybe they are

friends

**of Lipia?"**

"Let's

**say**

hello."

**"****Ishta**

**would be happy**

if we did."

"Yes

**we should say**

**hello."**

A single step.

The sole of a shoe grinding against the dust.

Once that single foot stepped into the light of the campfire …

"Sinon! Ambushers!"

"I got him!"

She retrieved her bow and faced her assailant in a single swift motion. Due to her eyes having gotten accustomed to the light of the campfire, Sinon's vision outside the campfire's reach was limited, but she was still able to estimate the shape of the assailant's body by glancing at the limb's proportions nonetheless. Shooting into uncertainty was risky, so she centered her aim to where she calculated the center of her opponent's body to be. Judging by the height it must have been a goblin, and a small one at that.

Kirito likewise unsheathed his blades with foreboding efficiency, taking Sinon's side to shield her of any incoming attacks. She was currently balanced on her left leg to keep the pressure on her injury to a minimum, and while that might have had adverse effects on her archery, she should have been able to take out a single ambusher at least.

Sinon's bowstring groaned and Kirito's Dark Repulser shone in the light of a long-ranged sword skill.

"Don't sho-"

The arrow was set loose and pierced soft unprotect flesh.

The sheer force blew the body backwards, hiding the corpse in the shadows of the dark.

The orphaned child died before the body hit the ground.

* * *

**Author's Note**

… damn. My heart is pounding right now. Just writing that scene was … brutal. I don't think there is anything else I can say.


End file.
